The salmonella family includes about 2,000 different strains of bacteria, but only ten strains cause most reported salmonella infections. Strains that may cause no symptoms in animals can make people sick, and vice versa. A Salmonella bacterium is a one-celled organism that can't be seen, touched or tasted. The bacteria are common in the intestinal tracts and waste of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats, rats, and other warm-blooded animals. There will always be some risk of bacterial contamination from foods of animal origin.
Food safety is necessary to prevent bacteria on raw foods from causing illness.
This page was updated on March 2, 2000.