Food Poisoning Transmission
The most common cause of food poisoning is the ingestion of harmful bacteria, usually from food. The bacteria sometimes breed on the food itself, especially when the food is stored in temperatures between 4∞C to 60∞C, or between 40∞F to 140∞F. Sometimes the bacteria is introduced onto the food from the hands of food handlers, food preparation personnel, or food servers, who may have failed to wash their hands properly before handling the food. Unwashed hands become a big danger especially when the person touching the food has just used the toilet, so the bacteria is fresh on the hands.
Even if contaminated or dirty hands do not make direct contact with the food, if these hands were to touch surfaces that the food also touches, the bacteria will still get onto those surfaces. Then those surfaces will touch the food, so the bacteria goes from those surfaces onto the food. Examples of such surfaces are counter tops, cooking equipment, knives and cleavers, cutting boards, serving trays, plates, drinking vessels, and eating utensils.
Once these bacteria find their way into our mouths, they make their way to our digestive tracts. If our immune systems cannot overcome them, they will produce toxins that can cause the food poisoning.
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