Food spoilage bacteria are quite different from food pathogens. As evidenced by periodic outbreaks of food borne illness, foods that pass the smell test can and do make people very sick, and foods that smell quite "ripe" and shows visual clues of being well past ripe may not have any pathogens in them all all.
Spoilage of FoodCommon Foodborne PathogensI am pretty sure that I have met Bacillus cereus on at least one occasion, and it has made me a bit fastidious when it comes to food handling.
Quote:
Bacillus cereus
Cause of illness: large molecular weight protein (diarrheal type) or highly heat-stable toxin (emetic type)
Incubation period: 30 minutes to 15 hours
Symptoms: diarrhea , abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting (emetic type)
Possible contaminants: meats, milk, vegetables, fish, rice, potatoes, pasta, and cheese
Steps for prevention: pay careful attention to food preparation and cooking guidelines.
