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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
About 1,600 people are sickened by listeria food poisoning every year, according to the CDC.
—Jonel Aleccia, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2024
Containing oligosaccharides — known for their prebiotic gut effects and promoting good flora — antioxidant-rich Mānuka honey also aids gastric and peptic ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, dyspepsia, GERD, Staph infections and even food poisoning.
—Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Staph food poisoning usually starts with stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024
The longer raw fish sits around in a kitchen, the higher the likelihood of food poisoning.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024
Raw, unpasteurized eggs can contain salmonella which can lead to food poisoning.
—Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2023
So sit back, keep your slow cooker on, and enjoy the game (without worrying about food poisoning).
—Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024
County health department still reports no hospitalizations in food poisoning outbreak
San Diego County tallied a dozen additional food poisoning cases associated with oysters harvested in Mexico, driving the total to 81 as of Monday afternoon, according to the county health department.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2024
The onset of food poisoning symptoms can vary widely.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 11 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'food poisoning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1856, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near food poisoning
Cite this Entry
“Food poisoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food%20poisoning. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
food poisoning
noun
: a digestive sickness caused by bacteria or by chemicals in food
Medical Definition
food poisoning
noun1
: 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
More from Merriam-Webster on food poisoning
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about food poisoning
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