Health Library

The Health Library is a collection of health and wellness resources created for learning and accessibility. Select a topic below for related health information or search for a topic in the search bar for more information on other medical conditions.

Food Poisoning

  • Is this topic for you? This topic is about many different types of food poisoning. You can also see the topics E. Coli Infection and Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy. What is food poisoning? Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating foods that have harmful organisms in them. These harmful germs can...

  • Wash your hands often and prepare foods properly to reduce the risk of food poisoning . How to wash your hands The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following steps for hand-washing: Wash your hands with running water, and apply soap. Rub your hands together to make a lather. Scrub...

  • There are things you can do while shopping to help prevent food poisoning. Put raw meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish in separate bags, and do not mix them with other food items. Do not buy meat or poultry that has a tear in the package or is leaking. Pick up your refrigerated and frozen items at the end of...

  • It is important to cook foods at a safe temperature to avoid food poisoning. The following picture shows you safe temperatures for a number of foods. Adapted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (2011). Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures. Available online...

  • Storing food promptly and correctly can help prevent food poisoning. Set your refrigerator at or below 40 F (4 C) and your freezer at or below 0 F (-18 C). Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish, shellfish, ready-to-eat foods, and leftovers within 2 hours or sooner. If the temperature outdoors is above 90 F...

  • Food packaging labels provide information about when to use the food and how to store it. Reading food labels and following safety instructions will greatly reduce your chance of becoming ill with food poisoning. The following guidelines are included on a packaging label. Sell by: This tells the store...

  • You can help prevent food poisoning by taking precautions when serving food. Keep hot foods hot [ 140 F (60 C) or above] and cold foods cold [ 40 F (4 C) or below]. Never leave meat, poultry, eggs, fish, or shellfish (raw or cooked) at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the temperature outdoors is...

  • What is food-borne botulism? Food-borne botulism is a rare but serious type of food poisoning that can result in paralysis. It is caused by the Clostridium botulinum ( C. botulinum) bacterium. The bacteria produce a nerve toxin that can cause paralysis. Food-borne botulism can be fatal and is considered a medical...

  • When you spend time around an animal—whether it's a pet, a farm animal, or a wild animal—there's a chance you can pick up an infection. An infection you get from an animal is called a zoonosis (say "zoh-uh-NOH-sus"). Some infections can seem mild,...

  • What is campylobacteriosis? Campylobacteriosis is food poisoning caused by the campylobacter bacterium. It is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in the United States, affecting more than 2.4 million people every year. Campylobacteriosis occurs much more often in the summer months than in the winter months...

  • What is C. perfringens food poisoning? C. perfringens food poisoning is caused by infection with the Clostridium perfringens ( C. perfringens) bacterium. C. perfringens is found frequently in the intestines of humans and many animals and is present in soil and areas contaminated by human or animal feces...

  • What is an E. coli infection? E. coli ( Escherichia coli) is the name of a germ, or bacterium, that lives in the digestive tracts of humans and animals. There are many types of E. coli, and most of them are harmless. But some can cause bloody diarrhea. Some strains of E. coli bacteria may also cause severe...

  • What are marine toxins? Marine toxins are chemicals and bacteria that can contaminate certain types of seafood. Eating the seafood may result in food poisoning. The seafood may look, smell, and taste normal. There are five common types of marine toxins, and they all cause different symptoms. Food poisoning...

  • What is listeriosis? Listeriosis is food poisoning caused by eating foods contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes ( L. monocytogenes) bacterium. In pregnant women, the infection can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, serious infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. Listeriosis affects mainly...

  • A balanced, nutritious diet during your pregnancy is important to maintain your health and nourish your fetus. When making your food choices, you generally are able to eat the foods you usually eat. But because some types of food poisoning pose a greater risk to you and your fetus, you should take a few extra...

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