Food poisoning is of two broad types: infectious and toxic. Infectious poisoning results from contamination of food by microscopic life forms: bacteria, viruses, and parasites. They may create harm directly by invading your digestive system and reproducing, or they may have highly toxic waste products that poison your food before you eat it. Toxic contamination may be inherent in the food source if improperly prepared, or external, through contamination by chemicals, metals or other substances.

Parasitic Infections

Knowing the potential sources of food poisoning can help to both avoid food poisoning and to identify it when it happens. Infectious sources of food poisoning are many. Very common is parasitic infection, such as “Montezuma’s Revenge” or Giardia Lamblia, one celled protozoan infections caused by contaminated water, which can contaminate food as well. There are many types of bacterial infections which can cause food poisoning, such as salmonella (from undercooked eggs, poultry, dairy and seafood); campylobacter bacteria (from raw milk and poultry and from water contaminated with feces); staphylococcus aureus (most often from potato, egg and tuna salads left unrefrigerated too long); e. coli (from fecal contamination of meat, unpasteurized milk and water); and botulism (from home prepared canned goods, honey, seafood), among many others. Food preparers who are very ill can also contaminate food.

One should suspect food poisoning when diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting follow shortly or within 48 hours of eating food or beverages obtained from amateur, unlicensed sources, wild gathered foods, or roadside vendors whose sources or methods of preparation and storage are unknown. The mechanisms of infection are quite varied and range from exotic to mundane. Just not washing hands after using the bathroom is a common one. Using utensils that have not been cleaned or were used for non-food purposes can do it. Simply using one set of tongs for multiple bulk food items in a store can cause deadly infections, as can cross-contaminating raw meat, raw poultry or raw fish, each of which alone would have been wholesome. Virtually nothing in life is bacteria-free, and so undercooking is a frequent source of food poisoning.

Toxic Foods

Some foods are naturally toxic, unless gathered, killed or prepared by a skilled person. It goes without saying that you must have great confidence in a mushroom gatherer’s knowledge to trust them as a food source. Raw tapioca root is highly toxic unless prepared correctly. One of the most well known sources of nerve toxin food poisoning is puffer fish (a/k/a “fugu” fish, a popular dish in Japan). Fugu nerve toxin is very powerful, which is why Japanese fugu chefs are specially licensed.

Inexperienced fisherman may not know which fish are safe to eat or when they are safe, as with eating shellfish out of season. Ciguatera fish poisoning refers to a wide variety of fish that can produce nerve toxins, due to the action of microscopic algae called dinoflagellates. This type of fish poisoning occurs widely in the Caribbean, but also in the North Atlantic and Pacific areas. The species of fish involved in Ciguatera fish poisoning number over 400, but some of the better known ones are barracuda, amberjack, moral eel, trigger fish, snapper, parrot fish, and grouper.

Read the accompanying article Food Poisoning Symptoms and if some of these symptoms appear shortly after ingesting food or liquids from questionable sources, suspect food poisoning.

If you have suffered a severe bout of food poisoning and suspect negligence on the part of those who provided the food to you, contact an experienced food poisoning lawyer right away. You may be entitled to damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Most lawyers will offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency fee basis, which means their fees are not paid unless you prevail or reach a settlement favorable to you. If you have lost a loved one due to food poisoning, call a qualified wrongful death attorney immediately. See Food Poisoning Lawsuits for more information.