Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Food Poisoning
Jane feels nauseous. A few hours later vomiting and diarrhea begin. It lasts for around twenty-four hours. Then it's finally over. Was it a stomach virus, or was it food poisoning? Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.
Food poisoning occurs when someone eats something that is contaminated by microscopic organisms. Therefore, it is a food borne illness. Some bacteria are good for you. Some make you sick. The most common ones that make you sick and cause food poisoning are found in some foods from animals, raw foods, and unwashed vegetables.
The most common bacteria are Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. Escherichia or E. coli is probably the bacteria that one hears about most often. It can be found in the solid waste of sick animals and in untreated water. The good thing is that cooking food products completely at the appropriate temperature can eliminate it.
