The source, time of onset of symptoms, symptoms and the associated foods are tabulated below:
Pathogen | Time between eating and onset of symptoms | Symptoms | Associated foods* |
Bacillus cereus toxin (vomiting) | 1 - 6 hours | Sudden onset of severe nausea and vomiting | Improperly refrigerated cooked rice |
Bacillus cereus toxin (diarrhea) | 6 - 24 hours | Abdominal cramps, nausea and watery diarrhea | Meats, stews, gravy, vanilla sauce |
Campylobacter | 2 - 5 days | Fever, nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea (sometimes bloody) | Raw and undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk and contaminated water |
Clostridium perfringens toxin | 6 - 24 hours | Abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea and nausea | Meats, poultry, gravy, dried or precooked foods |
Escherichia coli (STEC) | 2 - 10 days more commonly 3 - 4 days | Diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal cramps | Improperly cooked beef, unpasteurized milk and juice, sprouts and contaminated water |
Hepatitis A | 2 - 7 weeks | Jaundice, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea | Raw or poorly cooked seafood harvested from contaminated waters, ready-to-eat foods handled by an infected food handler |
Listeria monocytogenes | 3 days - 10 weeks | Meningitis, sepsis, fever | Soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk, ready-to-eat deli meats |
Norovirus | 24 - 48 hours | Fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and headache | Poorly cooked shellfish, ready-to-eat foods touched by an infected worker |
Salmonella | 6 – 72 hours,usually 12-36 hours | Headache, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea | Undercooked poultry, raw egg deserts and mayonnaise, sprouts, tahini |
Staphylococcus aureus toxin | 30 min – 8 hours | Sudden onset of vomiting and abdominal cramps | Cream deserts and pastries, potato salad |
Vibrio parahaemolyticus | 4–30 hours, usually 12-24 hours | Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea | Undercooked or raw seafood. |