Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any illness resulting from the consumption of food. Foodborne illness is commonly called food poisoning, even though the physiological effects of foodborne illness are not always caused by poisons (toxins). True food poisoning occurs when a person ingests a contaminating chemical or a natural toxin, while most cases of foodborne illness are caused by a variety of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, viruses, prions or parasites that contaminate food. Such contamination usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness. The action of monitoring food to ensure that it will not cause foodborne illness is known as food safety. Foodborne disease can also be caused by a large variety of toxins that affect the environment. For foodborne illness caused by chemicals, see Food contaminants.Foodborne illness can also be caused by the presence of pesticides or medicines in food, or by unintentionally consuming naturally toxic substances like poisonous mushrooms or reef fish. Some could even come from the skin and nose, like staphylococcus aureus, which could lead to death.

"General Mills Totino's and Jeno's pizza E.coli outbreak is a relatively small outbreak in relationship to others," says food poisoning lawyer Bill Marler. " Therefore, wage loss and medical bills would be a small amount of money to pay for good will in this case."

Most short –lasting cases of sickness or diarrhea are due to viral gastroenteritis. The most common cause is human rotavirus, to which children under the age of three are particularly susceptible the treatment is to stop all solid – food intake, and to concentrate instead on fluid intake prevent dehydration.

Hello, my name is Jenny and I am 16. I am currently in year 11 at school ( leaving in a few weeks) and since I was diagnosed a lot of things have happened to me. > >When I first got ill ( In October 2001) I just thought I had a bad case of food poisoning and I thought it would go away by itself , so I didn't bother telling my mum and dad. But after

In February, ConAgra Foods recalled Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter produced at a Georgia manufacturing plant due to salmonella contamination cases. Now, 39 food-poisoning suits involving dozens of litigants have mushroomed into multidistrict litigation in Atlanta federal court.

Botulism poisoning from commercially canned foods has been virtually eliminated in the United States, making the new cases linked to hot dog chili sauce all the more striking.