How long it takes to react to food poisoning is mainly related to the type of food, the amount of food consumed, and the specific symptoms of the patient. The incubation period is usually short, and symptoms may generally appear within minutes to hours after eating. Food poisoning mostly manifests as gastrointestinal reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. If the patient eats food that contains toxicity itself, such as puffer fish or sprouted potatoes, the onset of the disease is usually quicker, with reactions occurring within 10 minutes or so, and in severe cases, there may be neurological depression and respiratory failure and circulatory failure. If a patient consumes food contaminated with bacteria that causes poisoning, the reaction can occur within minutes to hours, depending on the individual’s constitution. If the patient consumes a small amount of toxic food or if the food deteriorates to a lesser extent, it is possible that the poisoning reaction may not appear until after 1 day, but its reaction is mild and not even easily detectable. Therefore, once a patient has food poisoning, he or she can take medication at home for mild cases, but in serious cases, he or she needs to go to a hospital emergency room in time for symptomatic treatment by a professional doctor.