Harmful Microorganisms: Symptoms & Prevention

• This chart outlines harmful microorganisms, their symptoms, associated foods, onset time, and prevention methods.

Bacteria

E. Coli

• Symptoms include severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea (may turn bloody), and occasional vomiting
• Outbreaks are linked to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, sprouts, and unpasteurized juices
• Symptoms appear 1-8 days after exposure
• Prevention involves cooking meat thoroughly, avoiding cross-contamination, using sanitary practices, and consuming pasteurized milk and apple juice

Listeria monocytogenes

• Symptoms can range from fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to more severe conditions like meningitis and septicemia
• Found in improperly refrigerated milk, raw vegetables, soft cheese, pâté, deli meat, poultry, and seafood; can grow at refrigeration temperatures
• Symptoms appear from 2 days to 3 weeks after exposure
• Prevention includes cooking foods to safe temperatures, preventing cross-contamination, using sanitary practices, limiting refrigerator storage times, maintaining a clean refrigerator, and avoiding high-risk foods for immunocompromised individuals

Salmonella

• Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, headache, and chills; arthritic symptoms may occur weeks later
• Associated with raw or undercooked meats, poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products, shrimp, frog legs, non-commercial sauces, cream-filled desserts, chocolate, and alfalfa sprouts
• Symptoms appear 6 to 48 hours after exposure
• Prevention focuses on cooking foods thoroughly, avoiding cross-contamination, and using sanitary practices

Clostridium botulinum

• Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, dry mouth, double vision, droopy eyelids, muscle paralysis, trouble speaking/swallowing, and breathing difficulties; can be fatal if untreated
• Linked to underheated low-acid canned foods and vacuum-packaged meats, sausage, and fish
• Symptoms appear 18 to 36 hours after exposure, but can vary
• Prevention involves following canning procedures, cooking foods properly, and refrigerating packaged meats and fish

Campylobacter jejuni

• Symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and fever
• Associated with raw milk, poultry, raw beef, water, and pets
• Symptoms appear 1 to 7 days after exposure
• Prevention includes using pasteurized milk, cooking foods thoroughly, preventing cross-contamination, using sanitary practices, and washing hands after handling pets

Staphylococcus aureus

• Symptoms include severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping
• Transmitted by human carriers (skin, infected cuts, noses, and throats) to foods like custard- or cream-filled baked goods, ham, tongue, cooked poultry, dressing, gravy, eggs, potato salad, cream sauces, and sandwich fillings
• Symptoms appear 1 to 6 hours after exposure
• Prevention involves using sanitary practices and refrigerating foods

Clostridium perfringens

• Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and chills
• Linked to meat, poultry, stuffing, gravies, and cooked foods held/stored at improper temperatures
• Symptoms appear 8 to 22 hours after exposure
• Prevention involves cooling foods rapidly after cooking, holding hot foods at 140ºF or above, and reheating foods to 165ºF

Viruses

Norovirus

• Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headaches, fever/chills, and muscle aches
• Transmitted through person-to-person contact or fecally contaminated food/water, survives freezing and high temperatures
• Associated with raw fruits and vegetables
• Symptoms appear 12 to 24 hours after exposure
• Prevention involves regularly washing hands

Hepatitis A

• Symptoms include mild illness with sudden fever, malaise, nausea, anorexia, and abdominal discomfort, followed by jaundice
• Spread through foods contaminated by infected workers, commonly cold cuts, sandwiches, fruits, juices, vegetables, salads, and shellfish
• Symptoms appear 10 to 50 days after exposure (average 30 days)
• Prevention focuses on using sanitary practices and avoiding raw shellfish

Molds

• Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and liver damage, and can cause cancer
• Thrive on fresh foods with high water content (fruits, vegetables), bread, cheese, processed foods, peanuts, and corn
• Unlike bacteria, they prefer foods with high acidity
• Prevention includes eating produce and leftovers quickly and cleaning the fridge

Yeast

• Causes food spoilage, and grows well at low temperatures, meaning refrigeration does not prevent spoilage
• Commonly found in fruits, berries, yogurt, soft drinks, juice, syrups, and cured meats
• Prevention involves eating foods quickly

Learn about harmful microorganisms like E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes. This chart details their symptoms, associated foods, onset times, and prevention methods. Understand food safety and how to avoid contamination to protect your health.