Types of food poisoning

Food poisoning is basically of two kinds. The first type is due to infection caused by organisms like bacteria, parasites, viruses and sometimes even by prions. There exist more than 200 causes of such infection. At times, the action of bacteria itself may not be the cause, but the toxins released into the food by the microbes. Botulism and Staphylococcal food poisoning are instances of this.

Chemical toxins can also cause food poisoning. Such toxins are generally produced in foods that are cooked and stored improperly. Then there is food poisoning that is not caused by either bacteria or toxins in food but due to the contamination of food by infectious agents like E.coli. This can occur not only from eating contaminated food but also from a swimming pool that happened to be contaminated or from one child to another in day care centers.
Causes of food poisoning

Infectious agents of food poisoning include bacteria, viruses as well as parasites, while the toxic agents comprise of improperly cooked exotic foods, poisonous mushrooms or pesticides on vegetables and fruits. Usually food gets contaminated due to poor sanitation or cooking. Those who handle food should wash their hands immediately after using the toilet. Otherwise they can get infected and passed on the same to the food they handle. If food is not packaged properly and stored at the right temperature it can also help to promote food poisoning.