Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any illness resulting from the consumption of food. Foodborne illness is commonly called food poisoning, even though the physiological effects of foodborne illness are not always caused by poisons (toxins). True food poisoning occurs when a person ingests a contaminating chemical or a natural toxin, while most cases of foodborne illness are caused by a variety of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, viruses, prions or parasites that contaminate food. Such contamination usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness. The action of monitoring food to ensure that it will not cause foodborne illness is known as food safety. Foodborne disease can also be caused by a large variety of toxins that affect the environment. For foodborne illness caused by chemicals, see Food contaminants.Foodborne illness can also be caused by the presence of pesticides or medicines in food, or by unintentionally consuming naturally toxic substances like poisonous mushrooms or reef fish. Some could even come from the skin and nose, like staphylococcus aureus, which could lead to death.

"Not too long ago I was on the bus and I saw this mother literally shoving a tube of liquid candy down the throat of her overweight 4 year-old. It was unbelievable. As I sat and watched, I thought about how angry I was at the mother for poisoning her child when nutrition-less, sugar-loaded food" * cough * fat as americans * cough *

A very scary list of the top 30 items we import from China; showing the value of those imports. In 2006, we imported $960.00 in goods from China for every man woman and child in the country. Poison dog food, cat food, and toothpaste are just the beginning.

Heather Gehlert: How safe is your child's school cafeteria? Congress requires twice-yearly health inspections of school cafeterias to help prevent outbreaks of food poisoning, but recent data from the Dept. of Agriculture shows that this isn't always happening.

Is your child’s school cafeteria free of rodents, under-cooked or improperly stored food, and other hazards that can cause serious—and possibly fatal—food poisoning? A new federal law makes it easier for parents to answer that question by requiring more frequent inspections and easy access to school cafeteria inspection reports.