Certified Professional Food Manager (CPFM) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Staphylococcus aureus is a significant cause of foodborne intoxication because it produces enterotoxins that can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms. These toxins can be present in food even if the bacteria are no longer viable. When people consume contaminated food that contains these toxins, they experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea within a few hours, typically due to the effects of the toxin rather than direct infection from the bacteria itself.

In contrast, foodborne infections involve the consumption of living pathogens that multiply in the intestines and cause illness. Toxin-mediated infections refer to pathogens that produce toxins after they enter the body, which is not the case here. Allergies are immune responses to proteins in food and are caused by a completely different mechanism involving the immune system. Therefore, Staphylococcus aureus is primarily associated with foodborne intoxication, making it the correct choice in this context.