foodborne

adjective

food·​borne ˈfüd-ˌbȯrn 

variants or food-borne

: caused by food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms or toxic substances

foodborne illness

Most foodborne outbreaks of norovirus illness are likely to arise though direct contamination of food by a food handler immediately before its consumption.

—Robert Benziker

Bacteria called campylobacter contaminate most chickens that go to market in the United States, and the bacteria are the most common cause of food-borne illness, bringing on some two million cases of food poisoning in the country annually.

—Philip J. Hilts

also : relating to or being a microorganism or toxin contaminating food

Anderson and others believe that use of the drugs in healthy animals is playing a role in changing the very nature of foodborne bacteria, creating strains that are resistant to antibiotics used in human medicine.

—Jennifer Ackerman

Listeria is a big problem for makers of ready-to-eat products such as deli meats, soft cheeses and potato salad. The microorganism continues to grow in refrigerated food, making it far harder to control than other types of food-borne pathogens, such as salmonella.

—Scott Kilman

Examples of foodborne in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike many bacterial foodborne illnesses that develop quickly, symptoms often do not appear until one to two weeks after exposure, making identification of the original source considerably more challenging. — Gary Occhiogrosso, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

In light of the outbreak, The Bee spoke with two industry experts involved in California’s produce supply chain to understand how the system works to mitigate the spread of foodborne illnesses in the state and keep consumers safe. — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026

Taylor Farms, which has been tied to foodborne outbreaks in the past, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. — Bill Barrow, Fortune, 17 July 2026

People often struggle for weeks after being stricken with foodborne illness. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foodborne

• adorn
• airborne
• blackthorn
• broomcorn
• buckhorn
• buckthorn
• careworn
• firstborn
• forborne
• forewarn
• forlorn
• forsworn

Kids Definition

foodborne

adjective

food·​borne ˈfüd-ˌbō(ə)rn 

-ˌbȯ(ə)rn

: caused by food contaminated with harmful microorganisms or toxic substances