From the pasta salad left out all afternoon on the Fourth of July, to a turkey and mayo sandwich in your backpack on a 3-mile hike up a mountain on a warm day, to simply driving from the grocery store to your home in the sweltering heat, summertime foods are a breeding ground for trouble -- and bacteria.

Despite best efforts, if you fetch up with something you might suspect is food-borne, keep in mind, "Some food-borne illnesses, such as E. coli O157:H7, can be life-threatening, particularly for young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems," according to the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "Symptoms that are severe or prolonged may need to be treated.

People who believe they may have contracted a food-borne illness should call their physician and/or go to the nearest emergency room"
 

Click here to learn how to prevent and treat illness from food bourne bacteria.