Food poisoning results from the ingestion of contaminated food, typically with high levels of harmful bacteria. It can also be caused by eating inedible foods. There are three major types of food poisoning. The first is salmonella poisoning, caused by eating undercooked eggs, meat and poultry. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps and typically appear within 12 to 48 hours. Next, listeria poisoning can result from eating contaminated prepackaged foods, deli meats and cheeses. Flu-like symptoms usually appear within three days, and can progress into meningitis. Finally, botulism is the rarest but most dangerous type of food poisoning. Fermented foods and undercooked foods can contain botulinum toxins, which can cause serious flu-like symptoms, paralysis and death.
