food poisoning

noun

: an acute gastrointestinal disorder caused by bacteria or their toxic products or by chemical residues in food

Examples of food poisoning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On June 1, the FDA announced that cardboard boxes of cucumbers had been recalled for possibly being contaminated with salmonella bacteria, a common cause of food poisoning. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 17 June 2024

Those symptoms, which were consistent with food poisoning, continued without improvement until April 20, the lawsuit said. —Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2024

Megill, 30, began dealing with the food poisoning on Saturday in New York, where the Brewers faced the Mets in a season-opening three-game series. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2024

These microbes can cause food poisoning if meat is not cooked properly before it is eaten or if a person handling the raw meat does not wash his or her hands properly afterward. —Melinda Wenner Moyer, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2016

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

food poisoning

noun

: a digestive sickness caused by bacteria or by chemicals in food

Medical Definition

food poisoning

noun

1

: either of two acute gastrointestinal disorders caused by bacteria or their toxic products:

a

: a rapidly developing intoxication marked by nausea, vomiting, prostration, and often severe diarrhea and caused by the presence in food of toxic products produced by bacteria (as some staphylococci)

b

: a less rapidly developing infection especially with salmonellae that has generally similar symptoms and that results from multiplication of bacteria ingested with contaminated food

2

: a gastrointestinal disturbance occurring after consumption of food that is contaminated with chemical residues (as from sprays) or food (as some fungi) that is inherently unsuitable for human consumption