FAQs on Food-borne Illness and Mishandling of Food

Foods can serve as vehicles of many disease-causing and toxin-producing agents including bacteria, viruses, molds, and parasites. Viruses are not “alive” in the classical form. They need to get into cells to use the cell’s “machinery” to produce copies of themselves. Spores are the dormant state (similar to seeds) which some bacteria and molds can form to survive harsh conditions (such as cold or drought).