What is The biggest cause of food borne illness?

The biggest cause of foodborne illness is improper handling and/or preparation of food. This includes:

- Not cooking food to the correct temperature. This is the most common cause of foodborne illness. Bacteria can grow rapidly in undercooked food, and some bacteria can produce toxins that can make you sick.

- Cross-contamination. This occurs when bacteria from raw food or surfaces come into contact with cooked food or clean surfaces. This can happen when you use the same cutting board or utensils for raw and cooked food, or when you don't wash your hands after handling raw food.

- Not storing food at the correct temperature. Bacteria can grow rapidly in warm temperatures, so it's important to store food in the refrigerator or freezer at the correct temperature.

- Consuming raw or undercooked animal products. Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can all contain harmful bacteria that can make you sick.

- Consuming unpasteurized milk or juice. Unpasteurized milk and juice can contain harmful bacteria that can make you sick.

- Eating food from an unsafe source. Food from street vendors or restaurants that are not properly regulated may not be safe to eat.

Some other things that can increase your risk of foodborne illness include:

- Being pregnant. Pregnant women are more susceptible to foodborne illness because their immune systems are weakened.

- Having a weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes, are more susceptible to foodborne illness.

- Being a child or an older adult. Children and older adults are more susceptible to foodborne illness because their immune systems are not as strong as those of healthy adults.

- Traveling to a developing country. Developing countries often have less stringent food safety regulations, so you are more likely to get foodborne illness when traveling to these countries.