The length of time that it takes for undercooked food to make you sick is as little as 30 minutes to a few hours or even a few days to weeks.
The length of time that it does take for undercooked food to make you sick depends on the bacteria or virus that makes you sick.
If the undercooked food contained Listeria it takes around 3 days to as long as 10 weeks for the symptoms of listeria to appear.
Listeria can be found in ready to eat deli meats, unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses.
The symptoms of shellfish poisoning often appear 30 minutes to 60 minutes after exposure although in some cases it can take 24 hours.
The symptoms of salmonella often appear 6 hours to 6 days after exposure.
The symptoms of the rotavirus often appear 18 hours to 36 hours after exposure.
The symptoms of the norovirus often appear 12 hours to 48 hours after exposure.
The norovirus spreads easily from person to person, especially in crowded places.
Symptoms of food poisoning include headache, overall weakness, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, belly pain and cramps and nausea.
Most cases of food poisoning are mild and resolve on their own within a few days of getting rest.
In severe cases the food poisoning can be dangerous and require immediate medical attention in the ER.