Final answer:
True food poisoning involves ingestion of pre-formed toxins in food, causing quick symptom onset, while food-associated infections involve pathogens that colonize the gut and produce toxins later, leading to a longer incubation period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between true food poisoning and food-associated infections mainly revolves around the origin and timing of the toxin production.
In true food poisoning, or intoxication, the toxins are produced by bacteria in the food before it is consumed, leading to rapid symptom onset.
On the other hand, in food-associated infections, the pathogen is ingested, colonizes the gut, and then produces the toxins, which results in a longer incubation period before symptoms appear. Both conditions result in common gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.