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How do you get Food Poisoning?

The most common food poisoning cases result from eating food contaminated with particular bacteria or with their toxins.  Bacteria can contaminated food in several ways:

Raw Food

Food poisoning bacteria can be present on or in many raw foods and also live in the gut of healthy animals.  During slaughter and processing these bacteria can contaminate the whole carcase.  It is therefore important that all raw food be treated as contaminated and kept separate from cooked and ready to eat food.

People

Food poisoning bacteria are found on the skin, in septic wounds, in the nose, wounds and sometimes the gut of man.  If food hygiene practices are poor, bacteria can be transferred onto food, where they can multiply and cause food poisoning.

Rodents, Insects and other Pests

These feed amongst faeces, dirt or refuse transferring food poisoning bacteria on to food intended for human consumption.

The Environment

Food poisoning bacteria can also be found in soil and untreated water.