What constitutes a foodborne illness?

A foodborne illness is defined as an outbreak where two or more people experience the same symptoms after consuming contaminated food or beverages. This definition is critical as it helps distinguish between an individual ailment and a widespread issue that could indicate a significant concern related to food safety.

The presence of two or more individuals with similar symptoms points to a common source of contamination, which is essential for public health investigations. This facilitates tracking, reporting, and ultimately allows for the identification of the source of the outbreak, leading to measures that can prevent further incidents. In the context of food safety, recognizing the broader implications of foodborne illnesses is fundamental in protecting public health.

The other options focus on aspects that do not fully capture the essence of foodborne illnesses: a single person getting sick does not establish a pattern indicative of a widespread issue, illness resulting from improper food handling describes a cause rather than a specific case of illness, and a mild stomach ache can be caused by numerous factors that do not necessarily imply food contamination.