Vomiting from food poisoning typically begins within a few hours after consuming contaminated food, but the exact timing depends on the specific cause of the poisoning:

• For Staphylococcus aureus, one of the most common causes, symptoms including vomiting can start very quickly, often within 30 minutes to 6 hours after eating contaminated food like potato salad or mayonnaise-based dishes left out too long

• Norovirus symptoms, including vomiting, usually begin within 12 to 48 hours after exposure

• Salmonella-related food poisoning symptoms can start anywhere from 6 hours to 6 days after eating contaminated poultry, eggs, or produce, with vomiting often occurring within this time frame

• Other bacterial toxins, such as from Clostridium perfringens, may cause symptoms including vomiting within 6 to 24 hours

In general, vomiting often appears within hours of eating the contaminated food, commonly around 6 hours, but it can range from as soon as 30 minutes to a couple of days depending on the pathogen involved

. Thus, if you experience vomiting within a few hours after eating suspicious food, it is consistent with food poisoning. The severity and duration of vomiting vary by the infectious agent and individual factors, but symptoms usually begin within hours to a day after ingestion