Food poisoning is a significant public health problem and is defined as an illness caused by the consumption of food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, their toxins or chemicals. Food poisoning can be related to bacteria, bacterial toxins, parasites, viruses or chemicals. Food poisoning due to bacteria constitutes approximately two thirds of food borne outbreaks for which a cause can be determined, though it should be noted that only 44 of such outbreaks fulfill the criteria for a confirmed cause. The major recognized agents of bacterial food poisoning are generally limited to about 12 bacteria, namely Salmonella, Clostridium perfrin-gens, Shigella, toxigenic or entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum, Vibrio species, Campylobacter, Yer-sinia, Aeromonas and Listeria organisms. Streptococci and Arizona species have also infrequently been implicated as agents of food poisoning. Salmonella outbreaks predominate among the confirmed outbreaks and constitute almost a third of all reported cases.
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