# Food poisoning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 7, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-poisoning/102317 "2002-04-07T15:16:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pammipoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@Pammipoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pammipoo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-poisoning/102317/1 "2002-04-07T15:16:09Z")
Last night me and Scott went to Outback Steakhouse. I had a couple of shrimp as appetizers,and half of a grilled chicken patty with my pasta. I really hate shrimp to begin with, and the chicken tasted a little off.I ate less than half my meal, trashed the rest. We walked out of the restaurant, and almost immediately I felt sick. It was all I could do to make it to the bathroom without hurling. I got most of it out, thought I was good to go. We sat through our movie, went home, and I crashed. 3:30 this morning, I woke up feeling nauseous again. Spent the next 3 hours puking. Needless to say, I’m not making it to work today. (Okay, so maybe this isnt an all bad thing…). I only remember parts of the Food Safety class I’m certified in, but I thought food poisoning took 24 hours to set in. Are there any foodbourne illnesses that kick in imediately? ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-poisoning/102317/2 "2002-04-07T15:27:25Z")
Probably the most common cause of rapid onset acute gastroenteritis is staphylococcal food poisoning. According to the Merck Manual website, “Onset is usually abrupt. Symptoms–characteristically severe nausea and vomiting–begin 2 to 8 h after eating food containing the toxin.” Outside of poisons, it’s hard to think of anything that would cause vomiting so soon after eating. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-poisoning/102317/3 "2002-04-07T16:24:00Z")
I had some narsty food poisoning a few years back. The ER doc told me that sometimes the food poisoning could set in very very quickly, and that sometimes it takes a day or so. Just depends on the food and the sensitivity of the individual. He also told me that the so-called “24-hour flu” was most often actually food-poisoning. Take care of yourself! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2002, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-poisoning/102317/4 "2002-04-08T02:42:20Z")
If the posioning is due to intoxication - ingestion of toxic microbial proteins - onset can be very very quick. If it’s due to actual infection, it will take at least a day or so.