Definition check — Bacterial food intoxication: Which statement correctly describes this category of foodborne illness?

Introduction / Context:
Clear definitions are essential in food safety. ‘‘Food intoxication’’ differs fundamentally from ‘‘food infection’’ in etiology, incubation period, and control strategies.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• ‘‘Intoxication’’ implies toxin is preformed in food before consumption.
• Common examples: Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin, botulinum neurotoxin.

Concept / Approach:
In intoxications, ingesting the toxin is sufficient to cause illness; viable bacteria need not be present or multiply in the gastrointestinal tract. In infections, pathogens must be alive and proliferate in the host.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Compare statements: (a) describes infection; (b) defines intoxication.Select (b) as the precise definition of bacterial food intoxication.

Verification / Alternative check:
Outbreak timelines often show very short incubation for intoxications (e.g., 1–6 hours for staphylococcal enterotoxin) consistent with preformed toxin exposure.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• (a): describes food infection, not intoxication.
• (c): cannot be both simultaneously as the definitions are distinct.
• (d): incorrect because (b) is correct.

Common Pitfalls:
Using ‘‘poisoning’’ loosely without specifying whether toxin was preformed (intoxication) or produced in vivo (toxicoinfection).

Final Answer:
Food-borne illness caused by the presence of a bacterial toxin formed in the food