The microorganisms get into the food, multiply, and produce a toxin that causes illness when the food is eaten. Proper cooking will kill microorganisms, but may not deactivate toxins. We can think of these four things as the pieces of a time bomb. When all four come together, the bomb explodes and foodborne illness occurs. Each piece is discussed briefly below.
Bacteria can get into our food in a variety of ways.
We can transmit these bacteria to food by coughing, sneezing, spitting, through runny noses, infected cuts, pimples, boils, feces, and by forgetting to wash our hands before touching food. Their favorites are foods that are high in protein or carbohydrates, like meat, milk, poultry, and eggs. They also like cream fillings, gravies, and puddings. Because microorganisms require moisture to grow, they are very happy in cooked rice and pasta, but will not grow in the dry products. Discard perishable food that has been in the Danger Zone for more than two hours.