The harm of food poisoning to human health is multi-layered, and its impact can extend from acute poisoning to chronic disease risk. The acute hazards mainly manifest as severe gastrointestinal reactions within 2-24 hours after consuming contaminated food, including jet vomiting, watery diarrhea, and spasmodic abdominal pain. In severe cases, electrolyte imbalance or even shock may occur due to excessive dehydration. Certain toxins such as botulinum toxin can directly attack the nervous system, causing blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, and respiratory muscle paralysis. If not treated in a timely manner, it may be fatal within 72 hours. Children with underdeveloped metabolic systems are more susceptible to harm, and cases have shown that consuming snacks containing 23 additives can lead to critical symptoms such as coma.

Chronic hazards are more concealed and have far-reaching effects. Long term intake of food contaminated with pesticide residues or heavy metals can lead to the accumulation of toxic substances in organs such as the liver and kidneys, gradually causing liver dysfunction and a decrease in glomerular filtration rate. Some chemical additives will interfere with the endocrine system. Studies have shown that some preservatives are associated with precocious puberty in children and increased incidence rate of adult diabetes. Continuous exposure to mycotoxins such as aflatoxin can increase the risk of liver cancer by 5-8 times, and this hazard has a latent period of more than 20 years.

Special hazards are reflected in the differentiated impact on sensitive populations. Pregnant women exposed to contaminated food may cause fetal neural tube defects or developmental delays; Elderly people are more likely to develop sepsis after consuming foods containing pathogenic bacteria due to weakened immune function. It is worth noting that food poisoning also has psychological secondary hazards, such as group poisoning incidents causing social panic, and chronic health damage leading to increased medical burden. These chains of hazards highlight the importance of monitoring the entire process from farmland to dining tables, not only to prevent immediate health risks, but also to be alert to potential lifelong health damage.