What is the Difference Between

Food Borne Illnesses and Food Spoilage?

Food Borne Illnesses:










Food Borne Infection:
- from food with living pathogenic (illness forming levels) bacteria
- pathogenic or disease carrying microorganism enter the body with food and multiply in the body’s digestive tract
- longer incubation period causing diarrheal


Food Borne Intoxication:

- food is contaminated with toxins, poison or toxin producing bacteria multiple and give off poisonous waste —>by product
- toxins cause the illness when the food is eaten
- spores can come from the soil and environment, BE SURE to wash thoroughly (ex: onions and garlic, cut into cantaloupe could lead to cross contamination)
- shorter incubation = sudden onset causing vomiting
- often they are not destroyed by cooking ( you can kill the bacteria but not the poison




Food Spoilage:







1. Enzymes
- Chemical substances that determine the speed of changes within food.



2. Oxidation
- Is the exposure of food to oxygen.
- It can lead to the dehydration of the food, have a softer texture & shows as discolouration



3. Microorganisms

- Include various bacteria, yeast and moulds
- Are visible on the surface of food and are clear signs that the food is no longer fit to eat.

      a) Yeast:

      b) Moulds:

      c) Bacteria: