USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency 

in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. USDA Photo

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

What is Foodborne Illness?

Foodborne illness is a preventable public health 

challenge that causes an estimated 48 million illnesses 

and 3,000 deaths each year in the United States. It is 

an illness that comes from eating contaminated food. 

The onset of symptoms may occur within minutes to 

weeks and often presents itself as flu-like symptoms 

such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Because 

the symptoms are often flu-like, many people may not 

recognize that the illness is caused by harmful bacteria 

or other pathogens in food. 

Everyone is at risk for getting a foodborne illness. However, some people are at greater risk for experiencing 

a more serious illness or even death should they get 

a foodborne illness. Those at greater risk are infants, 

young children, pregnant women and their unborn babies, older adults, and people with weakened immune 

systems (such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, 

kidney disease, and transplant patients.) Some people 

may become ill after ingesting only a few harmful bacteria; others may remain symptom free after ingesting 

thousands.

How Do Bacteria Get in Food?

Microorganisms may be present on food products when 

you purchase them. For example, plastic-wrapped 

boneless chicken breasts and ground meat were once 

part of live chickens or cattle. Raw meat, poultry, 

seafood, and eggs are not sterile. Neither is fresh 

produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons.

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in 

our environment. Microorganisms that cause disease are 

called pathogens. When certain pathogens enter the 

food supply, they can cause foodborne illness. Not all 

bacteria cause disease in humans. For example, some 

bacteria are used beneficially in making cheese and 

yogurt. 

Foodborne Illness: 

What Consumers Need to Know

Foods, including safely cooked and ready-to-eat foods, 

can become cross-contaminated with pathogens 

transferred from raw egg products and raw meat, 

poultry, and seafood products and their juices, other 

contaminated products, or from food handlers with poor 

personal hygiene. Most cases of foodborne illness can 

be prevented with proper cooking or processing of food 

to destroy pathogens. 

The “Danger Zone”

Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40 °F and 140 °F. It 

is important to keep food out of this “Danger Zone,” so 

keep cold food cold and hot food hot. 

• Store food in the refrigerator (40 °F or below) or 

freezer (0 °F or below). 

• Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature. 

o Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal 

steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum 

internal temperature of 145 °F as 

measured with a food thermometer 

before removing meat from the 

heat source. For safety and quality, 

allow meat to rest for at least three 

minutes before carving or consuming. 

For reasons of personal preference, 

consumers may choose to cook meat to 

higher temperatures. 

o Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, 

and veal to an internal temperature 

of 160 °F as measured with a food 

thermometer.

o Cook all poultry to a safe minimum 

internal temperature of 165 °F as 

measured with a food thermometer. 

• Maintain hot cooked food at 140 °F or above. 

• When reheating cooked food, reheat to 165 °F. 
Food Safety Information 2

Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know

Follow these general guidelines: 

1. Preserve the evidence. If a portion of the 

suspect food is available, wrap it securely, 

mark “DANGER” and freeze it. Save all the 

packaging materials, such as cans or cartons. 

Write down the food type, the date, other 

identifying marks on the package, the time 

consumed, and when the onset of symptoms 

occurred. Save any identical unopened 

products. 

2. Seek treatment as necessary. If the victim 

is in an “at risk” group, seek medical care 

immediately. Likewise, if symptoms persist or 

are severe (such as bloody diarrhea, excessive 

nausea and vomiting, or high temperature), call 

your doctor. 

3. Call the local health department if the 

suspect food was served at a large gathering, 

from a restaurant or other food service facility, 

or if it is a commercial product. 

4. Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline

at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) if the 

suspect food is a USDA-inspected product and 

you have all the packaging. 

In Case of Suspected Foodborne Illness

Bacteria

Campylobacter

jejuni

Clostridium 

botulinum

Clostridium 

perfringens

Associated Foods

Contaminated water, raw 

or unpasteurized milk, 

and raw or undercooked 

meat, poultry, or 

shellfish.

Improperly canned 

foods, garlic in oil, and 

vacuum-packed or 

tightly wrapped food.

Meats, meat products, 

and gravy. Called “the 

cafeteria germ” because 

many outbreaks result 

from food left for long 

periods in steam tables 

or at room temperature. 

Symptoms and 

Potential Impact

Diarrhea (sometimes bloody), 

cramping, abdominal pain, 

and fever that appear 2 to 

5 days after eating; may 

last 7 days. May spread to 

bloodstream and cause a lifethreatening infection.

Bacteria produce a nerve 

toxin that causes illness, 

affecting the nervous system. 

Toxin affects the nervous 

system. Symptoms usually 

appear 18 to 36 hours, but 

can sometimes appear as 

few as 6 hours or as many 

as 10 days after eating; 

double vision, blurred vision, 

drooping eyelids, slurred 

speech, difficulty swallowing, 

dry mouth, and muscle 

weakness. If untreated, these 

symptoms may progress 

causing muscle paralysis and 

even death. 

Intense abdominal cramps 

nausea, and diarrhea may 

appear 6 to 24 hours after 

eating; usually last about 

1 day, but for immunecomprised individuals, 

symptoms may last 1 to 2 

weeks. Complications and/

or death can occur only very 

rarely. 

Prevention

Cook meat and poultry to 

a safe minimum internal 

temperature; do not drink 

or consume unpasteurized 

milk or milk products; wash 

your hands after coming in 

contact with feces.

Do not use damaged canned 

foods or canned foods 

showing signs of swelling, 

leakage, punctures, holes, 

fractures, extensive deep 

rusting, or crushing/denting 

severe enough to prevent 

normal stacking. 

Follow safety guidelines 

when home canning food. 

Boil home canned foods for 

10 minutes before eating to 

ensure safety. (Note: Safe 

home canning guidelines 

may be obtained from 

State University or County 

Extension Office).

Keep hot food hot and 

cold food cold!Once food 

is cooked, it should be 

held hot, at an internal 

temperature of 140 °F or 

above. Use a food thermometer to make sure. Discard 

all perishable foods left at 

room temperature longer 

than 2 hours; 1 hour in 

temperatures above 90 °F.
Food Safety for Persons with AIDS

Food Safety Focus Food Safety Information 33

Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know

Cryptosporidium

Escherichia coli 

O157:H7

Listeria 

monocytogenes

Soil, food, water, 

contaminated 

surfaces. Swallowing 

contaminated water, 

including that from 

recreational sources, 

(e.g., a swimming 

pool or lake); 

eating uncooked or 

contaminated food; 

placing a contaminated 

object in the mouth. 

Uncooked beef 

(especially ground 

beef), unpasteurized 

milk and juices (e.g., 

“fresh” apple cider); 

contaminated raw 

fruits and vegetables, 

or water. Person to 

person contamination 

can also occur. 

Ready-to-eat foods 

such as hot dogs, 

luncheon meats, cold 

cuts, fermented or dry 

sausage, and other 

deli-style meat and 

poultry. Also, soft 

cheeses made with 

unpasteurized milk. 

Smoked seafood and 

salads made in the 

store such as ham 

salad, chicken salad, or 

seafood salad.

Dehydration, weight 

loss, stomach cramps or 

pain, fever, nausea, and 

vomiting; respiratory 

symptoms may also 

be present. Symptoms 

begin 2 to 10 days after 

becoming infected, and 

may last 1 to 2 weeks. 

Immune-comprised 

individuals may experience 

a more serious illness.

Severe diarrhea (often 

bloody diarrhea), 

abdominal cramps, and 

vomiting. Usually little or 

no fever. Can begin 2 to 

8 days, but usually 3-4 

days after consumption 

of contaminated food or 

water and last about 5 

to 7 days depending on 

severity. Children under 

5 are at greater risk of 

developing hemolytic 

uremic syndrome(HUS), 

which causes acute kidney 

failure and can cause 

death. 

Fever, muscle aches, and 

sometimes gastrointestinal 

symptoms such as nausea 

or diarrhea. If infection 

spreads to the nervous 

system, symptoms such 

as headache, stiff neck, 

confusion, loss of balance, 

or convulsions can occur.

Those at risk (including 

pregnant women and 

newborns, older adults, 

and people with weakened 

immune systems) may 

later develop more serious 

illness; death can result 

from Listeria. Can cause 

severe problems with 

pregnancy, including 

miscarriage or death in 

newborns.

Wash your hands before and 

after handling raw meat and 

poultry products, and after 

changing diapers, going to the 

bathroom, or touching animals. 

Avoid water that might be 

contaminated. (Do not drink 

untreated water from shallow 

wells, lakes, rivers, springs, 

ponds, and streams.)

Cook hamburgers and ground 

beef to a safe minimum internal 

temperature of 160°F. Drink 

only pasteurized milk, juice, 

or cider. Rinse fruits and 

vegetables under running tap 

water, especially those that will 

not be cooked. Wash your hands 

with soap and warm water 

after changing diapers, using 

the bathroom, handling pets or 

having any contact with feces. 

Cook raw meat, poultry, and 

seafood to a safe minimum 

internal temperature; prevent 

cross-contamination, separating 

ready-to-eat foods from raw 

eggs, and raw meat, poultry, 

seafood, and their juices; wash 

your hands before and after 

handling raw meat ,poultry, 

seafood and egg products. 

Those with a weakened immune 

system should avoid eating hot 

dogs and deli meats, unless 

they are reheated to 165 oF or 

steaming hot. Do not drink raw 

(unpasteurized) milk or foods 

that have unpasteurized milk 

in them (e.g., soft cheeses). 

Do not eat deli salads made in 

store, such as ham, egg, tuna, 

or seafood salad.

 Bacteria Associated Foods Symptoms and Prevention

 Potential Impact
Food Safety Questions?

Food Safety for Persons with AIDS

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Updated May 2011

Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety 

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used separately to 

imply endorsement of a commercial product or service. 

Salmonella

(over 2,300 

types)

Shigella

(over 30 

types)

Staphylococcus 

aureus

Vibrio 

Vulnificus

Raw or undercooked 

meat, poultry, and eggs; 

unpasteurized milk and 

juice; cheese and seafood; 

and contaminated fresh 

fruits and vegetables.

Person-to-person by fecaloral route; fecal contamination of food and water. 

Most outbreaks result 

from food, especially salads, prepared and handled 

by workers using poor 

personal hygiene.

Commonly found on the 

skin and in the noses 

of up to 25% of healthy 

people and animals. 

Person-to-person through 

food from improper food 

handling. Multiply rapidly at room temperature 

to produce a toxin that 

causes illness. Contaminated milk and cheeses.

Uncooked or raw seafood 

(fish or shellfish); oysters.

Diarrhea, fever, and abdominal 

cramps usually appear 12 to 

72 hours after eating; may 

last 4 to 7 days. In people with 

weakened immune system, 

the infection may be more 

severe and lead to serious 

complications, including death. 

Disease referred to as 

“shigellosis” or bacillary 

dysentery. Diarrhea (watery 

or bloody), fever, abdominal 

cramps,; 1 to 2 days from 

ingestion of bacteria and 

usually resolves in 5 to 7 days.

Severe nausea, abdominal 

cramps, vomiting, and 

diarrhea occur 30 minutes to 

6 hours after eating; recovery 

from 1 to 3 days — longer if 

severe dehydration occurs.

In healthy persons symptoms 

include diarrhea, stomach 

pain, and vomiting. May result 

in a blood infection and death 

for those with a weakened 

immune systems particularly 

with underlying liver disease.

Cook raw meat, poultry, and egg 

products to a safe minimum internal 

temperature. Do not eat raw or 

undercooked eggs. Avoid consuming 

raw or unpasteurized milk or other 

dairy products. Produce should be 

thoroughly washed before consuming.

Hand washing is a very important 

step to prevent shigellosis. Always 

wash your hands with soap and warm 

water for 20 seconds before handling 

food and after using the bathroom, 

changing diapers, or having contact 

with an infected person.

Because the toxins produced by this 

bacterium are resistant to heat and 

cannot be destroyed by cooking, 

preventing the contamination of food 

before the toxin can be produced is 

important. Keep hot food hot (over 

140 °F) and cold food cold (40 °F or 

below). Wash your hands with warm 

water and soap and wash kitchen 

counters with hot, soapy water before 

and after preparing food.

Do not eat raw oysters or other raw 

shellfish; cook shellfish (oysters, 

clams, mussels) thoroughly. Prevent 

cross-contamination by separating 

cooked seafood and other foods from 

raw seafood and its juices. Refrigerate 

cooked shellfish within 2 hours after 

cooking. 

 Bacteria Associated Foods Symptoms and Prevention

 Potential Impact

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response 

system can provide food safety 

information 

24/7 and a

live chat 

during 

Hotline 

hours.

AskKaren.gov

If you have a question 

about meat, poultry, or 

egg products, call the 

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 

toll free at 

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open 

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET 

(English or Spanish).

Recorded food safety 

messages are available 24 hours a day. 

Check out the 

FSIS Web site at

 www.fsis.usda.gov. 

PregunteleaKaren.gov