Have you ever eaten something that tasted a little funny and
then felt sick a couple of hours later? Maybe you had diarrhea
or you threw up. If so, it sounds like you're familiar with food
poisoning. What Is Food Poisoning? Food poisoning is caused by
bacteria and, sometimes, viruses or other germs. They can get
into the food we eat or the liquids we drink. We can't taste,
smell, or see these germs (at least not without a microscope).
But even though they're tiny, they can have a powerful effect on
the body. Once the germs that cause food poisoning get into our
systems, some of them release toxins. These toxins are poisons
(the reason for the name "food poisoning"), and they can give a
person diarrhea and vomiting. Most of the time, doctors use
"food poisoning" to describe an illness that comes on quickly
after eating contaminated food. People often get diarrhea or
start throwing up within a few hours after being infected. The
good news is, food poisoning usually goes away quickly too. Most
people recover in