How does food poisoning start?
Foodborne illness occurs when you consume a contaminated food or beverage. Baum explained that this can happen when microorganisms enter an environment with optimal conditions for growing and dividing. Most illness-causing bacteria or viruses grow exponentially in food whose temperature falls into the danger zone, which ranges between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This can come from eating food left out too long at room temperature, along with undercooked and raw food. Bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and salmonella can double their numbers in less than 20 minutes in food left in the danger zone, according to the US Department of Agriculture. How soon can you get food poisoning? People often think food poisoning happens immediately, but that’s not always the case. The time it takes for people to feel the effects of food poisoning depends on the type of bacteria, according to Nima Majlesi, director of medical toxicology at Staten Island University Hospital. Some bacteria can have an incubation period of one to two days. Majlesi said when people feel sick pretty quickly after eating, it is likely because of Staphylococcus aureus. The bacteria create toxins that can make you sick within 30 minutes to eight hours after consumption. Staph food poisoning usually starts with stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. How long does it take to recover from food poisoning? If the food poisoning comes from staph-induced toxins, the illness should last no longer than a day. People tend to recover from food poisoning in one to two days, but cases can last up to two to four weeks after exposure, said Dr. Pratima Dibba, a gastroenterologist at the Medical Offices of Manhattan. “It all depends. Some food poisoning cases can last 14 days, where you can just have continuous diarrhea,” Majlesi added. “Generally speaking, the more severe, the shorter the duration.” Is there a way to recover from food poisoning quickly? There is no single treatment that will speed up recovery, Dibba said. It takes time for your body to flush out the toxins causing the food poisoning, usually 24 to 48 hours. To keep yourself comfortable and avoid dehydration, Majlesi recommended staying constantly hydrated. If you are replenishing with an electrolyte solution, make sure the product is low in sugar. “Some of the electrolyte solutions have way too much sugar in them and can actually worsen diarrhea, so you want to be careful about that,” he said. Along with water, the National Institutes of Health recommends adults replace lost fluids with broths and sports drinks. Additionally, NIH advises fruit juice with water added to make it more diluted. Children, on the other hand, should use an oral rehydration solution such as Pedialyte to ease food poisoning symptoms. When to see a doctor There are some scenarios that warrant a trip to the hospital. Older adults and those with a weakened immune system should see a doctor immediately for food poisoning treatment. Additionally, Majlesi said people should visit the emergency room if their symptoms persist for a week, if they feel lightheadedness or if they experience bloody diarrhea. A health care provider can provide IV fluids and make a full evaluation to see if there is an electrolyte imbalance or other issues. “If symptoms become very severe or you are not responding to supportive therapy, seek medical attention immediately,” Dibba said. Jocelyn Solis-Moreira is a freelance health and science journalist based in New York.
