Differentiating Features of Food Poisoning

Staphylococcal food poisoning is manifested 2 to 6 hours after eating food (salad, potato salads) contaminated by a preformed enterotoxin.

Yersinia is most commonly associated with the ingestion of improperly cooked meat, but symptoms generally begin more than 1 day after ingestion of the contaminated food.

Symptoms resulting from L. monocytogenes also occur more than 24 hours after the ingestion of contaminated foods (milk, ice cream, and poultry).

V. vulnificus-associated food poisoning presents usually 24 to 48 hours after the ingestion of contaminated seafood (usually oysters). C. welchii is not associated with food poisoning. The two clostridia associated with food poisoning are C. perfringens and C. botulinum.