Why does it take a couple of hours before you start feeling ill from food poisoning?

Germs require time: Sevreal variables can delay the onset of symptoms in food poisoning.The amount of germs ingested may vary & stomach acid may destroy them before they can get thru. The host body may also be tolerate the toxin up to a point.Any left over germs require time to make enough toxin in the gut to trigger symptoms.Occasionally the germs have made enough toxin before intake that symptoms come sooner.

Incubation period: Even preformed toxin in food takes a few minutes to hours to act. If food poisoning is due to micro-organisms, the bug need time to grow and cause trouble,