Food poisoning

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Food poisoning is caused by consuming food or drink that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites or viruses. Food and drink may not appear to be contaminated because the look, taste and smell may not be affected.

Most food poisoning is caused by bacteria that multiply rapidly. Some bacteria can grow from one to millions given the right conditions: moisture, food, warmth and time. Illness is more likely the more bacteria that are present.

It is estimated that up to 4.5 million people in the UK suffer from food poisoning each year, but only a small minority consult a doctor and less than 100,000 cases a year are tested for an exact cause.

Food poisoning usually lasts 1-3 days, but can continue for up to a week depending on the type and severity of the infection. A full recovery is usually made within a week of infection.