Food-Borne Illness
An estimated 2.2 million cases of food-borne illness occur in Canada each year. This means that one out of ten people will experience symptoms such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting.
There are almost 250 different types of bacteria, parasites and viruses that are known to cause food-borne illness. You can't see them and you can't smell them. Some of them are very common and are the cause of the majority of food-borne illness. Some organisms can cause serious illness or death. Most cause only a mild illness ranging from slight discomfort to more serious symptoms. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with other diseases are often the most affected by a food-borne illness.
A large portion of food-borne illnesses are not reported. The cases that are investigated are usually the more serious cases or large outbreaks of illness. Many food-borne illnesses share common symptoms and cannot be distinguished by the symptoms alone. Furthermore, many non-food related illnesses can have similar symptoms. Diagnosing a food-borne illness can only be achieved after considering the person's recent food consumption history and after performing the proper laboratory tests. The laboratory tests usually involve an examination of the patient's stool for parasites and a stool culture for bacteria that cause food-borne illness. If a food sample is available, it should also be tested for disease producing bacteria and their toxins.
The most common errors in food-borne illness outbreaks are leaving foods at room temperature too long and refrigerating foods in large deep containers that cool too slowly. In outbreaks associated with meat and poultry, common food-handling errors are: leaving cooked foods at room temperature too long, under-cooking and failing to reheat cooked foods thoroughly. In many outbreaks, more than one of these errors may be made, compounding the risk of illness. Therefore, good food-handling practices remain the best defense against food-borne illness.
Last reviewed: September 30, 2009