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Consumer Centre > Causes of Food Borne Illness Causes of Food Borne Illness
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Alerts and Food Recalls | Food Safety Tips | Specific Products and Risks
| Food contaminated by bacteria, viruses and parasites can make
you sick. Many people have had foodborne illness and not even known it. It’s
sometimes called food poisoning, and it can feel like the flu. Symptoms may include the
following: stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever. |
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video transcript |
Common Causes of
Foodborne Illness
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Symptoms can start soon after eating contaminated food, but they can hit up to a month
or more later. For some people, especially young children, the elderly, pregnant women and
people with weakened immune systems, foodborne illness can be very dangerous.
Public health experts estimate that there are 11 to 13 million cases of foodborne
illness in Canada every year. Most cases of foodborne illness can be prevented by using safe
food handling practices and using a food thermometer to check that your
food is cooked to a safe internal temperature!
If you believe a product presents a health and safety risk, you can report a potential
food safety incident to the CFIA:
If you suspect that your health has been compromised because of food, contact your
family physician or local health authority who will follow-up with the appropriate
treatment. You can report any concerns about restaurant food to your local inspection authority. If they
determine that food (rather than on-site preparation) appears to be the likely cause of
illness, they will contact the CFIA to initiate an investigation. |
