The time it takes for food poisoning to set in after consuming contaminated food varies widely depending on the cause, but generally ranges from a few hours to several days.
- Most commonly, symptoms begin within 6 to 24 hours after eating contaminated food. For example, Staphylococcus aureus poisoning often starts around 6 hours, especially from foods like potato salad left out too long
- Norovirus symptoms typically appear within 12 to 48 hours , while Salmonella can take anywhere from 6 hours up to 6 days , often around 12 to 72 hours
- Other bacteria like Campylobacter may have an incubation period of 2 to 5 days , and E. coli symptoms usually start within 1 to 3 days
- Some toxins, such as those from shellfish poisoning, can cause symptoms as quickly as 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion
- In rare cases, symptoms may take longer to appear, even up to 1 to 2 weeks or more, depending on the pathogen (e.g., Hepatitis A virus or certain parasites)
In summary, while many cases of food poisoning manifest within 6 to 24 hours, the onset can be as quick as under an hour or delayed up to several days depending on the specific contaminant and individual factors like immune response
