Sodium nitrite is used on meats to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum . Ultraviolet radiation has been used to sterilize the surfaces of food handling equipment. Gamma radiation is increasingly being used to preserve a variety of foods including fresh fruits like strawberries. These diseases can be divided into two categories. Symptoms usually start 24-48 hours after eating tainted food with nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea.
Fever is present about half the time.
The diarrhea usually gets better after 3-4 days and the disease resolves itself after a week. This organism is a common intestinal organism of many animals. Most people become infected by eating partially cooked poultry and sometimes by carrier pets. Symptoms start 1 to 7 days after ingesting less than 500 bacterial cells. Severe abdominal pain is common followed by diarrhea often containing blood and pus.