The concept of food poisoning

Food poisoning
Food poisoningrefers to non-infectious acute or subacute diseases that occur after consuming food contaminated with biological or chemical toxic and harmful substances, or mistakenly ingesting such toxic and harmful substances as food. Food poisoning is a type of foodborne illness, but it does not include known intestinal infectious diseases and parasitic diseases, food allergies, acute gastrointestinal disorders caused by overeating, nor does it include chronic poisoning.
Foodborne illness(foodborne disease) refers to a group of illnesses typically with infectious or toxic properties, caused by various pathogenic factors entering the human body through ingestion.
Classification of food poisoning
Food poisoning is classified into five categories based on the causative agent.
1. Bacterial food poisoning refers to food poisoning caused by consuming food contaminated with bacteria or bacterial toxins.
2. Fungal food poisoning refers to food poisoning caused by consuming food contaminated with fungi and their toxins.
3. Animal-derived food poisoning refers to food poisoning caused by consuming poisonous animal-based food.
4. Plant-derived food poisoning refers to food poisoning caused by consuming poisonous plant-based food.
5. Chemical food poisoning refers to food poisoning caused by consuming chemically contaminated food.
Characteristics of food poisoning
1. The incubation period is short, onset is sudden, and it tends to occur in outbreaks. Many people may become ill in a short time, and the incidence curve shows a sharp upward trend.
2. Related to the consumed food. Patients have a history of eating the same contaminated food, and the scope of the outbreak is consistent with the distribution of the contaminated food supply. The outbreak will cease once the contaminated food is no longer supplied.
3. The clinical symptoms of poisoned individuals are largely similar, mainly including gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
4. There is no direct person-to-person transmission.
Prevention and control measures for food poisoning
1. Strengthen food hygiene supervision and canteen sanitation. Consumption of meat from sick or dead livestock or poultry, or other spoiled meat, is prohibited. Dishes like drunken shrimp and salted crab are best avoided.
2. Refrigerated food should be kept fresh and safe. Animal-based food should be thoroughly heated and cooked before consumption, and leftover meals should also be well reheated before eating.
3. Separate raw and cooked foods during cooking to avoid cross-contamination.
4. Pickled, cured, or canned foods should be boiled for 6–10 minutes before consumption.
5. Consumption of toxic plants and animals such as poisonous mushrooms and pufferfish is prohibited.
6. Cooks and childcare workers infected with or carrying Salmonella should be reassigned from their posts and may only return after three consecutive negative stool tests.

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