Food poisoning symptoms typically begin within a few hours to a few days after consuming contaminated food or drink, though the exact timing depends on the specific cause. Generally:
- Symptoms often start within 6 hours but can range from 30 minutes to several weeks depending on the germ or toxin involved
- For example, Staphylococcus aureus can cause symptoms as quickly as 30 minutes to 8 hours, Clostridium perfringens within 6 to 24 hours, Salmonella between 6 hours and 6 days, and Norovirus within 12 to 48 hours
- Some infections like Hepatitis A or Listeria may take days to weeks before symptoms appear (up to 50 days for Hepatitis A, 3 days to 10 weeks for Listeria)
- Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and sometimes fever
- Most people experience mild illness and recover within a few days, often 12 to 48 hours after symptoms start
In summary, food poisoning can come on very quickly-sometimes within an hour- or take several days, depending on the contaminant. The typical onset is within hours to a few days after eating the contaminated food
