U.S. Food Safety: Foodborne Illnesses a Menu for Disaster

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Hepatitis A is a virus that causes illness characterized by sudden onset of fever, malaise, nausea, anorexia, and abdominal discomfort, followed in several days by jaundice. Cold cuts and sandwiches, fruits and fruit juices, milk and milk products, vegetables, salads, shellfish, and iced drinks are commonly implicated in outbreaks, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Water, shellfish, and salads are the most frequent sources. Infected workers in food processing plants and restaurants are a common source of the food contamination as well.

Norwalk virus is a virus that can cause viral gastroenteritis, acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis, food poisoning, and food infection and is transmitted mostly by contaminated water, sometimes by contaminated food. Shellfish, particularly raw clams and oysters, and salad ingredients, are the foods most often implicated in Norwalk outbreaks.