Hazards and Controls 

Common Foodborne Pathogens* 

Pathogen Common Name of 

Illness 

Cause of Illness Incubation 

Period 

Symptoms Possible sources Steps for Prevention 

Bacillus cereus B. cereus food 

poisoning 

large molecular 

weight protein 

(diarrheal type) or 

highly heat-stable 

toxin (emetic type) 

30 minutes 

to 15 hours 

Watery diarrhea, 

abdominal 

cramps, nausea, 

and vomiting 

(emetic type) 

Meats, milk, 

vegetables, fish, 

rice, potatoes, 

pasta, and 

cheese 

Proper holding 

temperatures 

Campylobacter 

jejuni 

Campylobacteriosis Infection, even with 

low numbers 

One to 

seven days 

Nausea, fever, 

abdominal 

cramps, diarrhea, 

headache -

Raw milk, eggs, 

poultry, raw 

beef, cake icing, 

water 

Pasteurize milk; cook 

foods properly; prevent 

cross-contamination. 

varying in severity 

Clostridium 

botulinum 

Botulism Toxin produced by 

Clostridium 

botulinum 

12 to 36 

hours 

Nausea, vomiting, 

diarrhea, fatigue, 

headache, dry 

mouth, double 

vision, muscle 

paralysis, 

respiratory failure 

Low-acid canned 

foods, meats, 

sausage, fish 

Properly can foods 

following 

recommended 

procedures; cook foods 

properly. 

Clostridium 

perfringens 

Clostridium 

perfringens food 

poisoning 

Inadequate cooling, 

improper reheating, 

holding 

temperatures 

8 to 22 

hours 

abdominal 

cramps and 

diarrhea, some 

include 

dehydration 

Meats and 

gravies 

Rapid cooling and 

reheating. Not holding 

product in temperature 

range allowing growth 

Escherichia coli E. coli infection Strain of Two to four Hemorrhagic Ground beef, raw Thoroughly cook meat; 

O157:H7 enteropathic days colitis, possibly milk no crossE. coli hemolytic uremic contamination. 

syndrome 

Hepatitis A Hepatitis Hepatitis A Virus 2 to 4 

weeks 

fever, malaise, 

nausea, 

abdominal pain, 

yellow eyes and 

skin 

Water, fruits, 

vegetables, iced 

drinks, shellfish, 

and salads 

Proper hand washing 

before after using a 

restroom and before 

preparing food 

Inspection Methods 35-1 
 

 

 

 

 

Hazards and Controls 

Pathogen Common Name of 

Illness 

Cause of Illness Incubation 

Period 

Symptoms Possible sources Steps for Prevention 

Listeria Listeriosis Infection with Two days to Flu-like Vegetables, milk, Purchase 

monocytogenes Listeria 

monocytogenes 

three weeks symptoms, 

meningitis, 

septicemia, 

miscarriage 

cheese, meat, 

deli meat, hot 

dogs, seafood, 

RTE products, 

Post Lethality 

Exposed 

pasteurized dairy 

products; cook foods 

properly; no crosscontamination; use 

sanitary practices. 

Norwalk, Viral Infection with Between 12 Nausea, vomiting, Raw Adequate and proper 

Norwalk-like, or gastroenteritis, Norwalk virus and 48 diarrhea and oysters/shellfish, treatment and disposal 

Norovirus winter diarrhea, 

acute non-bacterial 

gastroenteritis, 

food poisoning, 

and food infection 

hours (avg 

36 hours); 

duration, 

12-60 hours 

abdominal 

cramps, fever, 

headache 

water and ice, 

salads, frosting, 

person-to-person 

contact 

of sewage, appropriate 

chlorination of water, 

restriction of infected 

food handlers from 

working with food until 

they no longer shed 

virus. 

Salmonella Salmonellosis Infection with 

Salmonella species 

12 to 24 

hours 

Nausea, diarrhea, 

abdominal pain, 

fever, headache, 

chills, prostration 

Meat, poultry, 

egg or milk, raw 

or undercooked 

products 

Cook thoroughly; avoid 

cross-contamination; 

use sanitary practices. 

Staphylococcus Staphylococcal Toxin produced by One to six Severe vomiting, Custard-filled Refrigerate foods; use 

aureus food poisoning certain strains of 

Staphylococcus 

aureus 

hours diarrhea, 

abdominal 

cramping 

baked goods, 

ham, poultry, 

Fermented 

sausage, 

dressing, gravy, 

eggs, potato 

salad, sandwich 

fillings 

sanitary practices 

*compiled from Iowa State University Extension Food Safety Project, FDA Bad Bug Book, and Foodborne Illness-Causing Organisms in the U.S. What You Need to Know 

Inspection Methods 35-2 
 

 

Hazards and Controls 

LIMITING CONDITIONS FOR PATHOGEN GROWTH* 

PATHOGEN 

MIN AW 

(USING 

SALT) 

MIN 

PH MAX PH 

MAX. % 

WATER 

PHASE SALT 

MIN. 

TEMP. 

(°F) 

MAX 

TEMP 

(°F) 

OXGEN 

REQUIREMENT 

BACILLUS CEREUS 0.92 4.3 9.3 10 39.2 131 facultative 

anaerobe 

C. BOTULINUM TYPE A, 

AND PROTEOLYTIC TYPES 

B & F 

0.935 4.6 9 10 50 118.4 anaerobic 

C. BOTULINUM TYPE E, 

AND NONPROTEOLYTIC 

TYPES B & F 

0.97 5 9 5 37.9 113 anaerobic 

C. PERFRINGENS 0.93 5 9 7 50 125.6 anaerobic 

PATHOGENIC STRAINS OF 

ESCHERICHIA COLI 

0.95 4 10 6.5 43.7 120.9 facultative 

anaerobe 

LISTERIA 

MONOCYTOGENES 0.92 4.4 9.4 10 31.3 113 facultative anaerobe 

SALMONELLA SPP. 0.94 3.7 9.5 8 41.4 115.22 facultative 

anaerobe 

STAPHOLOCCUS AUREUS 

GROWTH 0.83 4 10 20 44.6 122 facultative anaerobe 

STAPHYLOCOCCUS 

AUREUS TOXIN 

FORMATION 

0.85 4 9.8 10 50 118 facultative 

anaerobe 

CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI 0.987 4.9 9.5 1.7 86 113 micro aerophilic 

*Other Conditions Optimal Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guide-references in Guide 

Inspection Methods 35-3