Illness caused by the ingestion of food which has been contaminated with toxic micro-organisms, chemicals, poisons, or heavy metals
If you get food poisoning, you become ill because you have eaten food that has gone bad. a stomach illness caused by eating food that contains harmful bacteria, so that you vomit. Acute gastrointestinal illness from eating foods containing toxins. These toxins may be poisons that occur naturally in plants and animals, chemical contaminants, or toxic products of microorganisms. Most cases are due to bacteria (including salmonella and staphylococcus) and their toxins (including botulism). Some strains of E. coli can cause severe illness. Chemical poisons include heavy metals (see mercury poisoning), either from food or leached out from cookware by acidic foods. Food additives may have a long-term cumulative toxic effect. See also fish poisoning; mushroom poisoning
illness caused by eating food contaminated with pathogenic or toxic substances (characterized by vomiting and diarrhea)