Food poisoning is a growing problem in the UK with more cases reported each year.
The Food Safety team also play a key role in reducing the spread of Infectious disease locally, by:
- Inspecting food premises to make sure food is handled safely and bacterial growth is kept to a minimum.
- Taking samples of food for analysis to ensure that it is safe to eat.
- Visiting victims of food poisoning in an attempt to indentify the source and giving advice on preventing the spread.
Common bacterial infections and their cause
| Name | Source | Onset Period | Symptoms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacillus cereus | Cereals, herbs & spices, dried foods (rice, dust, soil) | 1-5 hrs. | Vomiting, abdominal pain & diarrhoea | |
| Campylobacter enteritis | Animals & birds raw poultry, raw milk sewage and contaminated water | 2-5 days | Headache, fever, diarrhoea nausea (7 days) |
|
| Chlostridium Difficile | Animal & human excreta soil, dust, insects, raw meat | 12- 18 hrs. | Abdominal pain & diarrhoea vomiting (2-5 days) | |
| Cryptoporidiosis | Contact with cattle, domestic and wild animals Often spread by water | 1-12 days | Vomiting, abdominal pain diarrhoea (mucus) | |
| Dysentry | Contact with infected person contaminated food esp. water or milk | 1-7 days | Diarrhoea, fever, stomach cramps & vomiting | |
| Escherichia Coli. | (E. Coli) Sewage, water, raw milk or meat | 10-72 hrs | Abdominal pain & diarrhoea vomiting | |
| Hepatitis A | Shellfish also contact with human faeces, blood urine and contaminated water | 15-50 days | Fever, malaise, tiredness, nausea, abdominal pain jaundice (after several weeks) | |
| Listeriosis | Mainly unidentified but foodbourne from faecally contaminated vegetables and fruit | 3-70 days | Fever, diarrhoea, septicaemia meningitis, can cause abortion | |
| Salmonella | Raw meat, milk, eggs, poultry pets (esp. rodents and terrapins) sewage and tainted water | 6-72 hrs. | Abdominal pain & diarrhoea vomiting |
Food and Occupational Safety team
Enquiry Reception
First Floor
Mandela House
4 Regent Street
CAMBRIDGE CB1 2BY
Tel: 01223 457900
Last updated: Monday, April 21, 2008