(KAIR)--Getting sick from something you eat can be more serious than you think.

That, according to statistics released by the United States Center for Disease Control, which says that 48 million Americans get sick from food each year, with 128,000 hospitalized, and 3,000 dying from the illness.

K-State Research and Extension Food Scientist Karen Blakeslee says that one problem associated with a food borne illness is that symptoms may take weeks to appear, and while you may get sick, it may not be from what you just ate. It really depends on the type of bacteria that you ate, and most of the time, you don't know what that is. She adds that some symptoms don't show up for ten days to two weeks, and by that time, the food that may have caused the problem is gone. This makes investigating a food borne illness really difficult.

Blakeslee says there are some symptoms that are common with all food borne illnesses including diarrhea, vomiting and fever. She says that if these symptoms last more than a day, the best thing you can do is to see your doctor as soon as possible.

Food borne illnesses often go unreported, because some people may think it is just the flu. However, Blakeslee says there is a big difference between a food borne illness and the flu. Typically, the traditional flu is more of a respiratory illness, so if you are are experiencing nausea and vomiting, it is more likely a sign of a food borne illness.

Additional information on food borne illness is available at county and district extension offices, and on the K-State Rapid Resource Center website rrc.ksu.edu.