Cramps, headache, and sweating may be additional symptoms. The patient may collapse with weakness and exhaustion. There are several possible causes of food poisoning, the most common of which involve bacteria. Although cooking kills the germs, it does not destroy the toxin that has been produced. Poisoning from the toxin takes place one to eight hours after eating contaminated food.
Botulism causes severe weakness and difficulty in breathing.
It can be fatal if not treated. The bacteria need time to grow in the intestines, and so symptoms may not appear for one or two days. Proper cooking and food handling greatly decreases the risk of such infection. These include some types of fungi and some shellfish. Food poisoning results with varying severity if these substances are eaten.