Suspected Food
Poisoning –
Essential
Information
For information or advice, please contact New
Forest Environmental Health, 023 8028 5680
Introduction
General Practitioners (GPs) frequently notify the
Environmental Health Division stating that they suspect one of
their patients may be suffering from a food borne illness.
Similar reports are also received from employers, schools and
individuals concerning illness that is believed to be connected
with consuming food.
The Environmental Health Section is required to investigate
such reports to confirm their validity and to determine a
possible source of illness, particularly if it is believed to be food
related. Officers from the Division can then takes appropriate
action to prevent further occurrences.
Food borne illness can result as a result of consuming
contaminated or poisoning illness depends upon the nature of
the infectious agent and factors such as the age and
susceptibility of an individual. Frequently reported symptoms
include nausea, headaches, abdominal pains, diarrhoea,
fever, skin rashes and even hallucinations. Symptoms may
last fir as short as one hour, or for several weeks. They are
usually self-limiting , but occasionally some conditions may
require treatment form your GP.
The Investigation
You can assist the investigating officer by giving details about
yourself and your family, your occupation, any recent travel or
significant functions you may have attended. More importantly
you can describe the symptoms you are suffering from and the
time and date when they commenced. The officer will ask you
questions regarding your recent food history, places where
you may have eaten and shops from where you may have
obtained food.
People often blame their illness on the last meal they ate
before the onset of symptoms. However, as the incubation
period between eating contaminated food and developing
symptoms can vary it would be incorrect to assume that the
last meal eaten was responsible for your illness. For this
reason it would be helpful to provide as much information as
possible about your activities and food consumption in the
preceding days.
Confirmation of Food Poisoning
A specimen ‘pot’ and an envelope will be left with you by the
investigating officer. The specimen will be tested for the
presence of any food poisoning germs and parasites. You and
your GP will be informed of the subsequent results.
If the laboratory result is ‘positive’ you will be given written and
verbal information on the particular ‘germ’ of infectious agent
in question. Your GP should contact you if the condition
requires any treatment. In some instances it may also be
necessary to screen other members of the family or close
household contacts.
Some conditions, such as viral gastroenteritis, are not
necessarily caused by consuming contaminated food despite
having similar symptoms to a food poisoning type infection.
Hence, if your specimen gives a ‘negative’ laboratory result for
a food poisoning germ it may be the case that your illness has
been caused by a virus. Experience has shown that viral
gastroenteritis can be contracted from droplet or ‘airborne’
transmission of virus particles in the atmosphere and is not
necessarily food related.
Prevention and control of further cases
Whilst awaiting the results of laboratory tests on specimens
anyone suffering from gastroenteric symptoms should practice
the following precautionary measures:

Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water
after using the toilet and especially before handling food.

Keep kitchen and toilet areas clean and disinfected.

People employed in food, nursing and health care should
inform their employers of their illness and stay away from
work until at least 48 hours after diarrhoea and other
symptoms have ceased.
Young children, particularly those aged under 5 years, should
be kept off nursery and school for at least 48 hours after
symptoms have ceased. It may also be necessary to
supervise some children when using the toilet to ensure that
they wash their hands thoroughly.
If the caused of illness is detected we will provide you with
additional information on the nature of the condition. In some
circumstances we may also like to ask you further questions,
recommend that you submit further specimens and possibly
screen other members of your household.
You are advised to contact your GP is symptoms persist.