What is the most popular food-borne illness that can show symptoms within 1-8 hours?

Staphylococcus aureus is known for causing food-borne illnesses that can show symptoms relatively quickly, typically within 1 to 8 hours after consumption of contaminated food. This rapid onset is primarily due to the preformed toxins that this bacterium produces. When food is improperly handled or stored, Staphylococcus aureus can proliferate and produce toxins that remain in the food, and these toxins can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps shortly after consumption.

While Salmonella and E. coli infections also lead to food-borne illnesses, their symptom onset is generally longer—often taking several hours to days to appear. Norovirus, though a common pathogen associated with food-borne illnesses, typically has a slightly longer incubation period as well, usually about 12 to 48 hours before symptoms manifest.

Thus, Staphylococcus aureus is the food-borne illness that aligns with the criteria of presenting symptoms within a short time frame after exposure, making it the correct choice in this context.