Food poisoning is an umbrella term covering foodborne illness from what source or sources?

Question

What generic term describes food traditionally favoured by southern black Americans such as country fried chicken, chitterlings and black-eyed peas?

Answer 1

Most commonly there are 3 basic and elementary pathological sources from which food poisoning is associated with. The following general categories are listed below along with examples:
1. Virus (best examples: Hepatitis A and E) - liver infection
2. Bacteria (E. Coli, Salmonella, Shigella, etc) - a whole variety of GI and systemic diseases
3. Fungi (best example: poisonous mushrooms) - severe liver damage and liver failure

There is a very unusual and rare 4th one, most elementary in chemical composition, known as a prion. The common term for the illness is Mad Cow Disease.