The table below lists the microorganisms most commonly associated with foodborne illness and examples of foods that are typical vehicles for those illnesses:

CAUSE	FOODS MOST OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM
BACTERIA
Bacillus cereus	Reheated cooked rice, cooked meats, starchy puddings, vegetables and fish. Improper handling after cooking is a common feature of foods causing B. cereus associated foodborne illness.
Clostridium perfringens	Reheated foods including buffet dishes, cooked meat and poultry, beans, gravy, stews and soups.
Clostridium botulinum	Improperly canned (home-preserved) foods such as vegetables, fish, meat and poultry.
Escherichia coli (E.coli)	Salads and raw vegetables, undercooked meat, cheese, unpasteurised milk.
Campylobacter jejuni	Raw milk, poultry.
Listeria monocytogenes	Unpasteurised milk and milk products such as soft cheeses, raw meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, paté, smoked meat and fish, coleslaw.
Salmonella	Undercooked poultry, meat, shellfish, salads, eggs and dairy products.
Staphylococcus aureus	Ham, poultry, eggs, ice-cream, cheese, salads, custard and cream-filled pastries and gravies, are the most common sources. Improper handling of food or poor hygiene could help S.aureus spread into food.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus and other marine Vibrio	Raw and undercooked fish and shellfish.
PARASITES
Trichinella spiralis	Undercooked pork or game.
Toxoplasma gondii	Undercooked meat and poultry and raw milk.
VIRUSES
Hepatitis A virus	Shellfish, raw fruits and vegetables can be the uncommon cause of hepatitis A. Hepatitis A can be spread by contaminated food handlers inadvertently transferring the virus to the food they handle.

Source: The European Food Information Council (www.eufic.org)

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