Food Poisoning

If a customer believes that food from your business has made them ill, the first step you should take is recommend the customer consult a doctor to provide them with any treatment they may need and so the doctor can collect a specimen sample. Specimens can be analysed to find the likely bacteria responsible for the customer’s illness and help identify the cause. The second step is not to panic: the customer may have become sick from food they consumed at home or may be suffering from some other illness unrelated to unsafe food. The City of Charles Sturt may inspect your business if it is reported to be the source of confirmed cases of food poisoning; the inspection will be conducted free from prejudice. Food poisoning is generally caused by pathogenic (harmful) bacteria, viruses or chemical toxins in food or water. Some of these microbes infect our bodies and grow, while others produce a toxin in food. The end result is illness, and in very severe cases food poisoning may cause long term injury or death. Food does not need to be spoiled to cause food poisoning. Food that looks, smells and tastes fine can still make a customer ill if: • food has not been handled correctly; • food has not been kept under temperature control; or • food surfaces had not been adequately sanitised.