Infectious diseases - Bacillus cereus
This section provides information and advice about Bacillus cereus, a bacteria that produces a toxin in the food which causes food poisoning.
What is Bacillus cereus?
Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) is a bacteria that produces a toxin in the food which causes food poisoning.
Symptoms
The symptoms are either predominantly
- Nausea and vomiting coming on 1-6 hours after eating food containing the toxinor OR
- Diarrhoea and stomach cramps coming on 6-24 hours after eating food containing the toxin
The illness usually lasts no longer than 24 hours.
How is it spread?
B. cereus occurs naturally in the environment and is frequently found in rice dishes, occasionally pasta dishes, meat or vegetable dishes, dairy products, soups, sauces and sweet pastry products.
The B. cereus spores survive normal cooking and can subsequently multiply and produce a poison if the food is not eaten or cooled quickly enough after cooking. The spores and poison are heat resistant and so won't be destroyed by any further cooking.
Prevention
These foods should be kept above 63°C and eaten within two hours after cooking, or cooled within one and a half hours of cooking and then kept at 8°C or below until eaten (within three days). This food should only be reheated once after cooking and it must be thoroughly reheated to a minimum temperature of 70°C for at least two minutes.
Can I still work?
If you have vomiting or diarrhoea you should not be working in a food handling environment. It is safe to work 48 hours after the symptoms stop.
For further information, contact the Council or in case of continuing illness, consult your family doctor.
Contact
Email: food.safety@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.
Tel: 01737 276417
Last updated : 14/05/2009
