Food poisoning as an in-flight safety hazard.

The leading cause by far of airline pilot incapacitations is gastrointestinal illness resulting from "food poisoning". This potentially hazardous condition is inadequately dealt with by the airlines today and strikes equally in all pilot age groups. Sufficient incidents are occurring to justify more stringent aircrew meal standards and regulations. Aircrew heart attack and stroke concerns pale into insignificance relative to the far more common food poisoning incapacitations. Specific regulations on aircrew feeding should be promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the regulatory authorities in other countries to preclude simultaneous-onset in-flight incapacitations due to common-source food poisoning.