What causes foodborne illness?
Not all foodborne illnesses are the same. It occurs when food is contaminated with a harmful substance, such as bacteria, virus, parasites, natural toxins, or chemicals. Some substances cause illness within minutes, while others take several hours, days or even weeks. For example, Salmonella bacteria usually take 12-72 hours after ingestion to cause illness. So remember, it’s not always the last food eaten that caused illness. The food that caused the illness may actually have been eaten several days before the illness began.
