Food poisoning means health problems from eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, environmental toxins, or toxins within the food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 6-33 million cases of food poisoning in the United States each year. Many are mild and pass rapidly. Common bacterial causes are Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella, and Clostridium botulinum. Food and water can also be contaminated by viruses (cholera), environmental toxins (heavy metals), and poisons within the food (mushroom poisoning or fish and shellfish poisoning). Careless food handling enables bacteria to grow. Vegetables that are eaten raw may be contaminated by bacteria in soil, water, and dust during washing and packing. Home and commercially canned food may be improperly processed at too low a temperature or for too short a time. Raw meats carry many foodborne bacterial diseases. Thorough cooking kills...