ABSTRACT
According to World Health Organization (WHO), foodborne illness (FBI) is the diseased condition caused by ingesting contaminated food and water. FBI is characterized into two broad groups: intoxication and infection. Foodborne intoxication is caused when the preformed toxin is consumed, which is made by pathogens within the food, while the foodborne infection is triggered through the uptake of food which contains the viable microbes. There are several causes of FBIs (i.e., bacteria, viruses, parasites). Several critical foodborne pathogens are: Clostridium spp., Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella, campylobacter, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus food poisoning are the major food illness caused by bacteria. Several foodborne viruses (i.e., hepatitis A virus (HAV), Norovirus) and parasites (i.e., Trichinella spiralis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Cyclospora cayetanensis) are responsible for FBI. The common symptoms of FBI are nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headache, and vomiting. The prevention of FBI depends on the safety and control measurement of food during production and processing. The ingredients used in the food must be of excellent microbiological quality, so the foods have to be safe from any hazardous pathogen which is the major cause of FBI. This suggests the need to implement strict hygienic control measures during handling, storage, manufacturing, and commercialization of foods. This chapter determines the characteristics of the most significant foodborne microbes which are involved in food spoilage and FBIs.
