The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition just published the second edition of the Bad Bug Book, which now includes a separate “consumer box” for each chapter to provide more non-technical explanations.

badbugbook.jpgThe book provides current information about the major known agents that cause foodborne illness, according to FDA.

“The information provided in this handbook is abbreviated and general in nature, and is intended for practical use,” said the agency this week in a release. “It is not intended to be a comprehensive scientific or clinical reference. Each chapter in this book is about a pathogen – a bacterium, virus, or parasite – or a natural toxin that can contaminate food and cause illness.”

The book contains scientific and technical information about the major pathogens that cause these kinds of illnesses, now the book will also include separate “consumer box” in each chapter provides information in more approachable language.

“The boxes describe plainly what can make you sick and, more important, how to prevent it,” said the agency.

The full Bad Bug Book, 2nd edition can be downloaded from the FDA Website.