Dr. Ben Chapman isn’t your typical food safety professor and blogger.
When you read his stuff, get an email from him, or spend some time talking with Ben, you instantly get the sense that this guy operates a little differently.
And that’s precisely why we like him so much!
At Stop Foodborne Illness, we’re now proudly calling Ben a board member, and we caught up with him recently to get more scoop for you on this force of nature in the food safety world.
Q: So, first off, how did you find yourself dedicating your professional life to food safety?
A: Ah, that’s a long story.
Had I not emailed my graduate school mentor, colleague, and friend Doug Powell in the winter of 2000 looking for an on-campus summer job (while an undergrad at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada), I’d be some other kind of nerd. Actually, I’d probably be a fantasy football blogger or Starbucks barista.
Side note: Doug Powell is a former professor of food safety and publisher of www.barfblog.com.
My story would be a lot cooler if I had sought out Powell as a potential employer because I was interested in the stuff he did.
But that’s not the case.
I had no idea what he did — and being a bit of an idiot, I didn’t even bother to look it up.
I emailed Doug on the advice of a friend who knew I was desperately looking for a job. He didn’t tell me much else about this dude or what he filled his days with. My friend just said, “I think you two will get along.” I didn’t really know what that meant, but I had no other prospects.
So, I clicked send on that email to him.
And he hired me to pull news.
Pulling news meant I surfed diligently through the interweb for anything food risky: microbial food safety, GMO foods, animal disease, etc. The stories I found (along with other news pullers) became content for FSnet, the precursor to barfblog, and the other listserv postings Doug put together every day.
About three weeks in, I found my passion for food safety. That’s when an E.coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Walkerton’s (Ontario) town water system became big news.
This was real life. Seven people died and over 2,300 fell ill. It hit me hard because I knew some folks from the town.
I was already interested in disease (probably because of the movies Outbreak or The Hot Zone), but the coverage and discussion within the Powell lab around Walkerton – how the outbreak was handled and communicated to the folks drinking the water – drew me in. The field of risk communication, where the technical info and real people intersect, got me fired up.
I made my move from molecular biology and genetics to food safety. That’s where it all started.
That news-pulling gig spurred me on to pursue an MS degree in food safety, which led to me working with farmers to shape and evaluate an on-farm food safety program.
Then I got my PhD where I focused on hand washing and cross-contamination in commercial kitchen settings. Both degree projects were about evaluating what works to change behaviors and exploring different messages/delivery methods based on the best available food safety and communication evidence.
After those projects, I spent time conducting applied and action research leading to extension outputs. That’s just a fancy way of saying I’ve become a food safety voyeur and storyteller. What really matters, and is central to any food safety intervention that targets behavior, is not what people say, but what they actually do.
To get at what’s really happening, food safety folks must gain access to real life situations. They need to observe and understand systems. And then they need to design something to address risk.
Research says that, for something to connect to someone, it has to be specific, timely, compelling, and provide a control method. This can be done through constructing a narrative, or story, around a situation. Once some intervention is made, evaluating the effectiveness is often forgotten. Lots of effort goes into designing things. But not as much effort goes into figuring out whether the creation worked.
Thinking back, as an undergrad, I didn’t really know what I was interested in. But, by chance, I found a problem that connected with me personally:
There are too many sick people.
By exploring different venues within the food system, and having super mentors who supported my interests and ideas, I found a deep passion for exploring food safety solutions that can reduce sickness and save lives.
Q: You’re now Associate Professor and Food Safety Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University (NCSU). How did you come to work there and what’s a day in the life like?
A: I knew that food safety extension was the place for me. I thoroughly enjoy taking the science to the people in restaurants and grocery stores, on the farm, and in their homes so they can reduce public health risks.
In 2008, a position came available at NCSU, and I knew a few people here. I applied, was lucky enough to score an interview, came to Raleigh, and loved the vibe of the department, college, and university. I was offered the job and jumped at the chance. My colleagues – inside and outside of the university – have made it a fantastic place for me to land. My days are pretty varied, and that’s what I was looking for.
Q: We love barfblog.com – How did you come up with that name and what do you set out to accomplish for your readers?
A: When self-publishing was all the rage, we decided to start a forum to share foodborne illness stories.
Every time we talked to someone on a plane, train, or automobile and they found out we did food safety stuff, they’d share their worst foodborne illness story. barfblog.com was created to capture those stories. But, most people don’t want to be bothered with the writing, so we do it for them.
The idea was (and still is) to take current news items and highlight what we think is important, based on the literature and our experiences.
One day, after an afternoon pick-up hockey session, Doug and I had a few beers with our group and some government/professor friends, and we brainstormed names.
I can’t take credit for the name at all. A creative undergrad student, Christian, came up with “barfblog,” and it stuck.
Doug Powell is really the driving force behind the content. I chime in when I can, and I host the blog over at NCSU. It’s a collaborative. We both really care about having less sick folks. And we enjoy doing our part to help meet that goal through sharing stories that, we hope, get people changing food safety habits for the better.
Q: You regularly use humor in your dialogue. What inspired you to take that approach, particularly since foodborne illness is so often discussed in a serious manner?
A: Foodborne illness definitely isn’t a funny thing. It’s serious stuff.
I don’t make light of illnesses, and I’m careful about when I drop a joke in to my writing. I guess I use humor because that’s who I am: A guy who thinks he’s funnier than he probably is!
No matter how I write or talk, though, my hope is that people know I’m very affected by and empathetic toward people impacted by these nasty bugs. Humor is a good tool, I think, to relate and connect with people. That’s really my goal with humor.
Q: You use social media extensively to spread your messages and get people taking action. What are some tips you have for our readers in this area?
A: The focus of barfblog.com and all my social media activities is to create dialogue and engage folks in discussions on what causes people to get sick from food. That includes food safety nerds in industry, academia, and government and everyday people who cook and eat food.
My top tips for social media:
The posts I like the best are the ones that come from incidents/situations that affect me. A few weeks back, I wrote about the Sabra hummus recall (due to Listeria). As a dad of a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old, I got this weird feeling of concern (because that’s the type that’s in our fridge). This was something that could have caused major harm to my family, so I wrote about what I think is missing from the recall notification. The social media discussion following that post has been really interesting to watch.
For a typical STOP reader, let’s say a mom who’s had a child affected by foodborne illness, I think social media can be very powerful. Let me repeat: VERY POWERFUL. Even if you’re not a pro blogger or regular “tweeter” on Twitter, there are many ways you can use social media to share your story and tips for preventing foodborne illness. One of my favorites? Video. Create a video, post it on YouTube, and share it via other social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.
Remember, people love to hear from and connect with other people who sound and act real and relatable. Vulnerability – sharing and showing the dark side of how foodborne illness has impacted your life – is something people crave (because that’s what’s real). And you want to be sure to use strong calls to action. Let people know what you want them to do.
Q: Share a little bit about your podcast, Food Safety Talk. What do you like to cover?
A: It’s a pretty fun thing to do.
I get to chat with my friend, Don Schaffner, for a couple hours every week. We share five or six things we find interesting in the news that week and then just chat like we’re having a beer together (except we’re in two different states, usually one of us at home in our underwear). We’re both passionate dudes when it comes to food safety, so there’s no shortage of stuff to talk about. You can check it out here.
Q: As a new STOP board member, are you honed in on one or two personal goals you want to achieve during your term?
A: First, let me say it’s humbling being around a group of people who’ve either experienced foodborne illness directly or, support those who have, and dedicate their time, energy, and resources to reduce the likelihood that others will be affected.
As for specific goals, I want to raise STOP’s profile nationally and internationally and really focus on gathering the best data to inform policy issues. When you have good data, you can make more effective choices about how to prevent foodborne illness and save more lives.
Dr. Ben Chapman is an Associate Professor and Food Safety Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University (NCSU).
As a teenager, a Saturday afternoon viewing of the classic cable movie, Outbreak, sparked his interest in pathogens and disease. With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group at NCSU designs, implements, and evaluates food safety strategies, messages, and media from farm-to-fork.
Through reality-based research, Ben investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers, and organizational decision-makers: the gatekeepers of safe food.
Ben co-hosts a biweekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and further engages folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest. You can follow him on Twitter @benjaminchapman.
KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE
Our mission:
As the voice of people affected by foodborne illness, we collaborate with partners in academia, the food industry, and government to prevent foodborne illness. We advocate for effective food safety policy and facilitate culture change to increase food safety.
Stop Foodborne Illness is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.
Wyoming Department of Public Health
401 Hathaway Building
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Call 1-866-571-0944 (toll free) or (307) 777-7656
Wyoming Department of Health: Epidemiology Unit
Infectious Disease Epidemiology + Food Safety
Nevada HHS/ Division of Public and Behavioral Health
Environmental Health
4126 Technology Way 4150 Technology Way
Carson City, NV 89706 Carson City, NV 89706
http://dpbh.nv.gov/Reg/Food/Food_Establishments_Home/
Southern Nevada Health District Food Safety
https://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/Health-Topics/food-safety/
Report a Foodborne Illness
https://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/Health-Topics/foodborne-illness/
702-759-1300
South Dakota Department of Health
Office of Health Protection
600 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-4945
doh.sd.gov/food/
South Dakota Department of Agriculture
523 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-5425
Preventing Foodborne Illness
https://doh.sd.gov/food/prevention.aspx
Arkansas Department of Health
Office of Environmental Health
4815 West Markham Street, Slot 46
Little Rock, AR 72205
501-661-2171
www.healthy.arkansas.gov
Public Health Safety | Foodborne Disease
https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/foodborne-disease
Utah Department of Health/Report a Foodborne Illness
Cannon Health Building
288 North 1460 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
888-222-2542
Utah Association of Local Health Departments
Salt Lake County Health Department
Food Protection
Vermont Department of Health
Public Health Laboratory
108 Cherry Street, PO Box 70
Burlington, VT 05402
800-439-8550
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
Food Safety and Consumer Protection
116 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05620
802-828-2430
Virginia Department of Health
Food Safety
109 Governor Street
Richmond, VA 23219
804-864-7454
350 Capitol Street, Room 702
Charleston, WV 25301
304-558-2971
1 West Wilson Street
Madison, WI 53703
608-266-1865
DC Department of Health Food Safety https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/division-food
DC Department of Health Foodborne Disease Surveillance https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/foodborne-illness-surveillance
National Resources
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA Center for Food Safety
888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366)
www.fda.gov
US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline: 1-888-674-6854
USDA- Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS)
www.fsis.usda.gov
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
www.foodsafety.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-232-4636
www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/
Antibiotic Resistance Action Center
The Center for Food Safety
202-547-9359
International Food Information Council Foundation
202-296-6540
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
www.cste.org
770-458-3811
_________________________________________
Office on Women’s Health
womenshealth.gov/index.html
US National Library of Medicine
www.nlm.nih.gov/
Medline Plus
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
National Institutes of Health
www.nih.gov/
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Food and Water Safety for Travelers
https://www.iamat.org/food-and-water-safety
Puerto Rico Done
https://www.fns.usda.gov/contact/puerto-rico-department-health
Guam Dept of Health
Guam Department of Agriculture
US Virgin Islands
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Food Protection Program
410 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06134
860-509-7297
Hartford Health Department
131 Coventry Street
Hartford, CT 06112
860-757-4726 or 860-757-4729
New Haven Health Department
54 Meadow Street
New Haven, CT 06519
203-946-6999
Texas Department of State Health Services
Food Establishments Group
PO Box 149347
Austin, TX 78714
512- 834-6753
www.dshs.state.tx.us/foodestablishments/
Texas Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition
1700 N Congress, 11th Floor
Austin, TX 78701
512-463-7476
www.squaremeals.org/
http://www.squaremeals.org/FandNResources/FarmtoSchool/ToolsforSchools/FoodSafety.aspx
Texas Health Departments (by District)
www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/lhds.shtm
www.dshs.state.tx.us/regions/nonlhd.shtm
Infectious Disease Control Unit
1100 West 49th Street, Suite T801
Austin, TX 78714
512-776-7676
www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/health/foodborne_illness/
Austin Food Establishment Inspections
https://data.austintexas.gov/dataset/Restaurant-Inspection-Scores/ecmv-9xxi
Dallas Food Establishment Inspections
http://www2.dallascityhall.com/FoodInspection/SearchScores.cfm
Fort Worth Food Establishment Inspections
www.fortworthgov.org/applications/Health/
Houston Food Establishment Inspections
http://houston.tx.gegov.com/media/search.cfm
San Antonio Food Establishment Inspections
www.sanantonio.gov/health/Food-Establishment-Inspection.html
Tennessee Department of Health
425 5th Avenue North
Cordell Hull Building, 3rd Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
615-741-3111
http://tn.gov/health
Division of Foodborne Illness
615-741-7247
Foodborne Illness Complaint Hotline
800-293-8228 (toll free)
Tennessee Restaurant Inspections
http://tn.gov/health/topic/eh-inspections
Health Departments in Tennessee by County
http://tn.gov/health/topic/localdepartments
Shelby County Health Department
814 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN 38105
901-222-9243
www.shelbycountytn.gov/index.aspx?nid=1094
Metro Public Health Department of Nashville & Davidson County
311 23rd Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37203
615-340-5616
www.nashville.gov/Health-Department/Environmental-Health/Food-Protection-Services.aspx
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Food Protection
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
803-898-3432
http://www.scdhec.gov/FoodSafety/
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Compliance
State Capitol /Wade Hampton Building, 5th Floor
Columbia, SC 29211
803-734-2210
http://agriculture.sc.gov/divisions/consumer-protection/foodfeed-safety-compliance/
South Carolina Food Establishment Inspections
www.scdhec.gov/environment/envhealth/food/htm/inspection-rating/
Rhode Island Department of Health
Food Protection
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
401-222-5960
401-272-5952 (emergency after hours)
http://www.health.ri.gov/programs/foodprotection/
Rhode Island Department of Environment
Agriculture Division
235 Promenade Street
Providence, RI 02908
401-222-2781
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/agricult/index.php
Rhode Island Food Establishment Inspections
http://www.health.ri.gov/food/
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Food Safety & Laboratory Services
2301 North Cameron Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
866-366-3723
www.agriculture.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Department of Health
625 Forster Street, 8th Floor West
Harrisburg, PA 17120
877-PA-HEALTH
www.portal.health.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Food Establishment Inspections
https://www.pafoodsafety.state.pa.us/web/inspection/publicinspectionsearch.aspx
Oregon Health Authority
Healthy Environments/Foodborne Illness
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 640
Portland, OR 97232
971-673-0451
public.health.oregon.gov/HealthyEnvironments/FoodSafety/Pages/index.aspx
erica.vaness@state.or.us
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Food Safety Program
635 Capitol Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-4720
www.oregon.gov/ODA/fsd/Pages/index.aspx
Oregon Health Departments (by County)
public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/LocalHealthDepartmentResources/Pages/lhd.aspx
Multnomah County (Portland) Food Establishment Inspections
www3.multco.us/MCHealthInspect/ListSearch.aspx
Oklahoma Department of Health
Food Safety and Foodborne Diseases
1000 NE 10th Street, Room 605
Oklahoma City, OK 73117
405-271-4060
800-522-0203 (toll free)
www.ok.gov/health/Disease,_Prevention,_Preparedness/Acute_Disease_Service/Disease_Information/Food_Safety_and_Foodborne_Diseases/
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry
2800 N Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405-521-3864
www.oda.state.ok.us/food/
Oklahoma Food Establishment Inspections
www.phin.state.ok.us/Inspections/
Ohio Department of Health
Food Safety Program
246 N High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
614-466-1390
www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/eh/foods/food2.aspx
Find Your Local Health Department (Ohio)
odhgateway.odh.ohio.gov/lhdinformationsystem/Directory/GetMyLHD
Ohio Department of Agriculture
Food Safety Division
8995 E Main Street
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
614-728-6250
www.agri.ohio.gov/foodsafety
www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/meat/meat.aspx
Columbus Public Health
Food Protection Program
240 Parsons Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-645-8191
publichealth.columbus.gov/food-protection.aspx
Columbus Food Establishment Inspections
www.decadeonline.com/main.phtml?agency=COL
Franklin County Food Establishment Inspections
www.myfcph.org/foodinspections.php
Cleveland Food Establishment Inspections
www.clevelandhealth.org/network/environment/review_inspection_report.php
Cincinnati Food Establishment Inspections
www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/health/inspection/
Ohio Inspections by County
www.ohioinspections.org/category.php
North Dakota Department of Health
600 E Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505
701-328-2372
www.ndhealth.gov/disease/GI/default.aspx
North Dakota Division of Food and Lodging
www.ndhealth.gov/foodlodging
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Meat Inspection
www.nd.gov/ndda/program/meat-inspection
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
NC Food Safety
4000 Reedy Creek Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
919-733-7366
http://www.ncfoodsafety.com/
North Carolina Department of Health
Food Protection Program
5605 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
919-707-5854
ehs.ncpublichealth.com/faf/food/index.htm
Report a Foodborne Illness
NCDPH Epidemiology
225 N McDowell Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27603
919-733-3419 (24 hr access)
epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/report.html#who
North Carolina Health Department Directors (by County)
http://www.ncalhd.org/directors
Restaurant Inspections
www.wral.com/5onyourside/restaurants/page/1001540/
New York Department of Agriculture & Markets
Food Safety & Inspection
10B Airline Drive
Albany, NY 12235
518-457-4492
www.agriculture.ny.gov/FS/FSHome.html
New York Department of Health
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237
800-458-1158 (toll free)
518-473-4436
www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/food_safety/index.htm
New York Health Departments (by Region, District and County)
www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/doh_pub_contacts_map.htm
New York City Restaurant Inspection
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/restaurant-inspection.shtml
New Mexico Environment Department
Food Program
PO Box 5469
Santa Fe, NM 87502
505-476-9102
www.nmenv.state.nm.us/fod/Food_Program
New Mexico Department of Health
1190 South Saint Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87502
505-827-2613
www.health.state.nm.us
New Mexico Public Health Offices Map (by County)
http://nmhealth.org/location/public/
Albuquerque Food Inspection and Safety
www.cabq.gov/envhealth/inspections
New Jersey Department of Health
Food and Drug Safety Program
PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-826-4935
www.nj.gov/health/foodanddrugsafety/consumer.shtml
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
PO Box 330
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-588-7606
www.state.nj.us/agriculture/news/hottopics/topics070319.html
New Jersey Departments of Health (by County or Municipality)
www.nj.gov/health/lh/directory/lhdselectcounty.shtml
Rutgers University/NJ Agricultural Experiment Station
88 Lipman Drive
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
njaes.rutgers.edu/health/
New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
Public Health Services/Food Protection
129 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-4589
www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/fp
Foodborne Illness Surveillance
29 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-5300 (24 hr)
800-852-3345, x5300 (toll free 24 hr)
www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/surveillance/food.htm
Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services
Epidemiology/Foodborne Illness
301 Centennial Mall South
Lincoln, NE 68509
402-471-2937
dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/EPI/Pages/Foodborne.aspx
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Consumer Protection
301 Centennial Mall South
Lincoln, NE 68509
402-471-3422
ttp://www.nda.nebraska.gov/fscp/index.html
Nebraska Health Departments (by County and Rural District)
dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/puh_oph_lhd.aspx#Websites
Omaha-Douglas County Health Department
Disease Control/Foodborne Illness
1111 South 41st Street at Pacific
Omaha, NE 68105
402-444-7214
402-444-7000 (after hours)
www.douglascountyhealth.com/disease-a-immunization/food-borne-illness
Restaurant Inspections
www.douglascountyhealth.com/food-a-drink/food-facility-ratings?rname=all&submit=Search
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department
3140 N Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
402-441-6280
www.lincoln.ne.gov/city/health/environ/consumer/food/foodsafety.htm
Food Establishment Inspections
logisrv01.lincoln.ne.gov/health/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=EPH.Default
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Food & Consumer Safety
1400 Broadway
Helena, MT 59604
406-444-4542
www.dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/fcs/index.shtml
Montana Health Departments (by County or Tribal Agency)
www.dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/phep/countytribalhealthdepts.shtml
Montana Food Star Award Program
http://web.hhs.mt.gov/publichealth/fcs/foodstar.shtml
Montana DPHHS Food and Consumer Safety
http://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/FCSS
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102
866-628-9891 (toll free)
www.health.mo.gov/safety/foodsafety
Missouri Department of Agriculture
Food Safety
1616 Missouri Boulevard
Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-751-4211
mda.mo.gov/connect/foodsafety.php
Kansas City Department of Healt
Food Protection Program
2400 Troost Ave, Suite 3000
Kansas City, MO 64108
816-513-6315
http://kcmo.gov/health/environmental-health-services/environmental-public-health-program/
Kansas City Food Establishment Inspections
www.inspectionsonline.us/foodsafety/mousakansascity/search.htm
St. Louis County Department of Health
Safe Food Center
www.stlouisco.com/HealthandWellness/FoodandRestaurants
St. Louis Restaurant Inspections
www.stlouisco.com/HealthandWellness/FoodandRestaurants/RestaurantInspections
Mississippi Department of Health
Food Safety, Restaurant Inspections
570 East Woodrow Wilson Drive
Jackson, MS 39216
866-458-4948
msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/43,0,377.html
Reporting a Foodborne Illness
800-556-0003
601-576-7400 (after hours/holidays)
Mississippi Public Health Laboratory
570 East Woodrow Wilson
Jackson, MS 39216
601- 576-7582
601-576-7725 (Office of Epidemiology)
msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,0,73.html
Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce
Consumer Protection
PO Box 1609
Jackson, MS 39215
601-359-1148
https://www.mdac.ms.gov/bureaus-departments/regulatory-services/consumer-protection/
Minnesota Department of Public Health
Food Safety
PO Box 64975
St Paul, MN 55164
651-201-5000
888-345-0823 (toll free from greater MN)
www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety
Reporting a Suspected Foodborne Illness
877-366-3455
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/dtopics/foodborne/reporting.html
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Food Safety
625 Robert Street North
St Paul, Minnesota 55155
651-201-6000
800-967-2474
www.mda.state.mn.us/food/safety
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control (IDECP)
625 N Robert Street
PO Box 64975
St Paul, MN 55164
77-676-5414 (toll free from greater MN)
877-FOOD-ILL (877-366-3) Foodborne Illness Hotline
Minneapolis Department of Health
Food Safety Program
Public Service Center
250 S 4th Street, Room 510
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-673-2301
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/health/inspections/foodsafety
Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
Food Safety
PO Box 30017
Lansing, MI 48909
800-292-3939
www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-50772—,00.html
www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1572_2875_31948-8257–,00.html
Michigan Department of Community Health
Bureau of Disease Control, Prevention, Epidemiology
Capitol View Building
201 Townsend Street
Lansing, MI 48913
517-373-3740
517-335-9030 (emergency after hours)
www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,4612,7-132-2945_5104—,00.html
Michigan Food Inspections
secure1.state.mi.us/misafe/Default.aspx
Kent County (Grand Rapids) Health Department
700 Fuller Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616- 632-6900
www.accesskent.com/Health/FoodServices/default.htm
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Food Protection Program
305 South Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-983-6700
617-522-3700 (emergency/after hours)
www.mass.gov/dph/fpp
Massachusetts Health Departments (by County)
www.healthguideusa.org/massachusetts_local_health_departments.htm
Massachusetts Partnership for Food Safety Education
www.mafoodsafetyeducation.info
City of Boston Department of Health
Inspectional Services Department/Health Division
1010 Massachusetts Avenue, 4th floor
Boston, MA 02118
617-635-5300
www.cityofboston.gov/isd/health
Worcester Department of Public Health\
25 Meade Street
Worcester, MA 01610
508-799-8531
www.worcesterma.gov/ocm/public-health
Maryland Department of Health
Office of Food Protection; Center for Retail Food, Plan and Process Reviews
6 Saint Paul Street, Suite 1301
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-767-8400
phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/OEHFP/OFPCHS/SitePages/Home.aspx
Foodborne Illness/Emerging Infections Program
phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/OIDEOR/EIP/SitePages/Home.aspx
Baltimore City Health Department\
1001 E Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-396-4398
baltimorehealth.org/foodcontrol.html
http://health.baltimorecity.gov/environmental-health/food-facilities
Montgomery County (Germantown, Silver Spring) Department of Health
Disease Control and Epidemiology
Dennis Avenue Health Center
2000 Dennis Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20902
240-777-1755
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HHS-Program/Program.aspx?id=PHS/PHSDControl-p270.html
Howard County (Columbia) Department of Health
Food Protection Program
7178 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
410-313-1772
866-313-6300 (toll free 24/7 access)
www.howardcountymd.gov/DisplayPrimary.aspx?id=4294969400
Food Establishment Inspection Program
howard.envhealth.info/
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Environmental Health
221 State Street
Augusta, ME 04333
207-287-8016
www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/el/postings.htm
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
286 Water Street, State House Station 11
Augusta, ME 04333
800-606-0215
www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/food_safety_in_maine.html
Report a Foodborne Illness
800-821-5821 (24 hr access)
Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources
www.maine.gov/agriculture/qar/index.html
University of Maine Food Safety Program
5741 Libby Hall
Orono, ME 04469
207-581-3188
extension.umaine.edu/food-health/food-safety/
Portland Health & Human Services
389 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
207-874-8633
http://www.portlandmaine.gov/610/Food-Safety
Portland Restaurant Inspections
www.pressherald.com/special/portland_maine_restaurant_inspection_report.html
Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals
Food and Drug Unit
PO Box 629
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0629
225-342-9500
dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/300
Louisiana Community Health Units (by Parish)
www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/394
Reporting Foodborne/Waterborne Disease
1450 Poydras Street, Suite 2146
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-568-8316
www.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/535
Louisiana Restaurant Inspections
inspections.eatsafe.la.gov/default.aspx
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
Food Quality
PO Box 1951
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
225-925-3772
http://www.ldaf.state.la.us/food-safety/
New Orleans Health Department
1300 Perdido Street, Suite 8E18
New Orleans, LA 70112
311
www.nola.gov/health-department/
Kentucky Department Public Health
Cabinet for Health and Family Services
275 E Main Street, 1E-B
Frankfort, KY 40621
502-564-7181
www.chfs.ky.gov/dph/info/phps/food.htm
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Consumer & Environmental Protection
107 Corporate Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
502-573-0282
www.kyagr.com/consumer/division-of-food-distribution.html
Louisville Health and Wellness
400 East Gray Street
Louisville, KY 40202
502-574-6520
http://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/food-safety
Restaurant Inspections
http://portal.louisvilleky.gov/applications/RestaurantInspectionScores
Lexington-Fayette County Health Department
Environmental Health
804A Newtown Circle
Lexington, KY 40511
859-231-9791
www.lexingtonhealthdepartment.org/ProgramsServices/FoodProtection/tabid/200/Default.aspx
Barren River District (Bowling Green) Health Department
1109 State Street
Bowling Green, KY 42102
270-781-8039
270-202-5785 (24 hr access)
www.barrenriverhealth.org/mx/hm.asp?id=RestaurantScores
Kansas Department of Agriculture
Food Safety
109 SW Ninth Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612
785-296-3556
https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/food-safety-lodging
Kansas Restaurant Inspections
https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/food-safety-lodging/inspection-results
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Curtis State Office Building
1000 SW Jackson
Topeka, Kansas 66612
785-296-1500
www.kdheks.gov/epi/foodborne.htm
Sedgwick County (Wichita) Health Department
1900 E Ninth Street
Wichita, KS 67214
316-660-7300
www.sedgwickcounty.org/healthdept/
Report a Foodborne Illness
316-660-5555 (24 hr access)
Johnson County (Overland Park) Health Department
http://www.jocogov.org/health
Wyandotte County (Kansas City) Health Department
619 Ann Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-321-4803
www.wycokck.org/dept.aspx?id=488
Iowa Department of Public Health
Bureau of Environmental Health
321 E 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-7689
www.idph.state.ia.us/eh/food_safety.asp
Iowa Food System Council
www.iowafoodsystemscouncil.org
Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology (CADE)
www.idph.state.ia.us/Cade/Foodborne.aspx
Iowa State University Food Safety Project
www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/
Iowa Department of Inspections & Appeals
Food and Consumer Safety Bureau
www.state.ia.us/government/dia/page3.html
Polk County (Des Moines) Health Department
1907 Carpenter Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50314
515-286-3798
ms.polkcountyiowa.gov/health/
Linn County (Cedar Rapids) Health Department
935 2nd Street SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
319-892-5000
http://ia-linncounty.civicplus.com/603/Food-Safety
Scott County (Davenport) Health Department
Food Protection Program
600 W Fourth Street
Davenport, Iowa 52801
563-326-8618
www.scottcountyiowa.com/health/food.php
Indiana Department of Health
Food Protection
100 North Senate Avenue, N855
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-234-8569
www.in.gov/isdh/20640.htm
Indiana Food Protection (by County)
www.in.gov/isdh/23962.htm
Report a Complaint to the Health Department
www.in.gov/isdh/20887.htm
Indiana Food Defense Program
317-233-8476
www.in.gov/isdh/20994.htm
Marion County (Indianapolis area) Department of Food Safety
3838 N Rural Street
Indianapolis, IN 46205
317-221-2222
www.mchd.com/fdp.htm
Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health
200 E Berry Street, Suite 360
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260-449-7561
http://www.allencountyhealth.com/get-informed/environmental-health-hazards/consumer-alerts/
Evansville & Vanderburgh County Department of Health
Food Safety Program
420 Mulberry Street
Evansville, Indiana 47713-1231
812- 435-2400
www.evansville.in.gov/Index.aspx?page=623
Illinois Department of Public Health
535 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL 62761
217-782-4977
www.idph.state.il.us
Report Foodborne Illness (Health Departments by County)
www.idph.state.il.us/local/alpha.htm
Illinois Department of Agriculture
Food Inspection
PO Box 19281, State Fairgrounds
Springfield, IL 62794-9281
217- 782-2172
www.agr.state.il.us/programs/consumer/foodinsp.html
Restaurant Inspections (Chicago)
webapps.cityofchicago.org/healthinspection.jsp
Report Foodborne Illness
Chicago: 312-747-3663 | @foodbornechi (Twitter)
Suburban Cook County: @foodsafecookco (Twitter)
Cook County Department of Public Health
Food Safety Resources
15900 S Cicero Avenue – Building E
Oak Forest, IL 60452
708-633-4000
http://cookcountypublichealth.org/services/food-safety
Kane County Health Department
Environmental Health
1240 N Highland Avenue
Aurora, IL 60506
Or
1750 Grandstand Place
Elgin, IL 60123
630-444-3040
kanehealth.com/food_safety.htm
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Food Protection Program
PO Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720
208-334-6996
www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/FoodProtection/tabid/96/Default.aspx
Questions/To Request Informational CD
208-334-5938
Idaho Health Districts (Reporting Illness, Restaurant Inspections, and More)
www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/HealthDistricts/tabid/97/Default.aspx
Idaho Department of Agriculture
Food Safety Program
2270 Old Penitentiary Road
Boise, Idaho 83712
208-332-8500
www.agri.idaho.gov/Categories/InspectionsExams/FoodSafety/indexfoodSafetyHome.php
Boise Area Food Establishment Inspection Records
secure.cdhd.idaho.gov/cdhpublic/LicenseBrowser.aspx
Hawaii Department of Health
591 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-586-8012
health.hawaii.gov/food-drug/for-consumers/
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/blog/ag-resources/food-safety-on-farm/
Reporting Foodborne Illness (District Health Offices)
Oahu 808-586-4586
Maui 808-984-8213
Kauai 808-241-3563
Hilo 808-933-0912
Kona 808-322-4877
808-566-5049 (after hours)
800-360-2575 (toll free)
Hawaii Food Education
www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/index.html
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
hdoa.hawaii.gov/agricultural-resources/
Georgia Department of Health
Office of Environmental Health
2 Peachtree Street NW, 13 Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-657-6534
dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health
Environmental Health Inspections
dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health-inspections
Digital Health Department
http://www.garrisonenterprises.com/
Fulton County Health & Wellness (Atlanta)
141 Pryor Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-612-4000
fultoncountyga.gov/dhw-home
Restaurant Inspections
fultoncountyga.gov/dhw-restaurant-inspections
Richmond County Health Department (Augusta)
950 Laney-Walker Boulevard
Augusta, Georgia 30901
706-721-5900
www.ecphd.com/common/content.asp?PAGE=661
Columbus Department of Public Health
Office of Environmental Health
2100 Comer Avenue
Columbus, GA 31904
888-810-4316 toll free
www.columbushealth.com/chd/columbusHealth/index.cfm/community/environmental-health/
Emergency/After Hours
1-800-PUB-HLTH (782-4584)
Florida Department of Health
Food and Waterborne Disease Program
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #A08
Tallahassee, FL 32399
850-245-4401
doh.state.fl.us/environment/medicine/foodsurveillance/FoodandWaterborneDiseaseProgramFinalIndexPage.html
On Facebook
www.facebook.com/FLDepartmentofHealth
Reporting a Problem with Food in Florida
doh.state.fl.us/environment/medicine/foodsurveillance/HowtoReportaProblemwithFoodinFlorida.htm
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Division of Food Safety
3125 Conner Boulevard, Suite D
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
850-245-5595
University of Florida Food Safety and Quality
fycs.ifas.ufl.edu/foodsafety/
Florida Restaurant Inspections (All Counties)
www.ledgerdata.com/restaurant-inspections/alachua/
Hillsborough County Department of Health (Tampa)
1105 E Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33602
813-307-8000
www.hillscountyhealth.org/
Dade County Department of Health (Miami)
Miami-Dade Service Sites
http://miamidade.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/clinical-and-nutrition-services/service-sites.htm
Contact 24/7
305-324-2400
www.dadehealth.org
Duval County Department of Health (Jacksonville)
900 University Boulevard, N
Jacksonville, FL 32211
904-253-1000
www.dchd.net/our-programs/epidemiology
Delaware Department of Health
Office of Food Protection
417 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
302-744-4546
www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/ofp.html
Food Establishment Inspection Reports
dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/Default.aspx
Colorado Department of Public Health
Division of Environmental Health
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South B-2
Denver, Colorado 80246=
303-692-3645
www.cdphe.state.co.us/cp/
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Fruit and Vegetable Section
PO Box 407
Monte Vista, CO 81144
719-852-4749
Reporting Foodborne Illness by County
www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDPHE-Main/CBON/1251588365684
Colorado Inspection & Consumer Services
www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/ag_ICS/CBON/1251599400393
Food Safety (Statewide)
www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/ag_Main/CBON/1251634013356
Tri-County (Denver area) Health Department
6162 South Willow Drive, Suite 100
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
303-220-9200
http://www.tchd.org/246/Restaurants-Grocery
http://www.tchd.org/171/Infectious-Diseases
Denver Restaurant Health Inspection Reports
www.denvergov.org/eh/tabid/435231
Denver Foodborne Illness Investigations
www.denvergov.org/?TabId=391974
El Paso County (Colorado Springs) Food Safety
www.elpasocountyhealth.org/service/food-safety
California Department of Public Health
Food and Drug Branch
1500 Capitol Avenue, MS 7602
Sacramento, CA 95899
916- 650-6500
www.cdph.ca.gov/programs (Follow link to Food, Drug, and Radiation Safety)
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Inspection Services Division
1220 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-900-5020
inspection_services@cdfa.ca.gov
Consumer Complaints (Statewide)
800-495-3232
Restaurant Inspections by County
www.ca.gov/OnlineServices/OS_Consumers_inspections.html
Los Angeles Area Food Illness Report
https://www.visualcmr.net/webvcmr/pages/public/pub_FBI_Report.aspx
Los Angeles Area Restaurant/Market Ratings
publichealth.lacounty.gov/rating/
San Diego Food Complaints
http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/deh/fhd/food/foodcomplaints.html
San Diego Foodborne Epidemiology
http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/deh/fhd/food/foodborneepidemiology.html
Santa Clara County Food Facility Inspections
sccinspections.org/onlineinsp/
San Francisco Restaurant Safety Scores
www.sfdph.org/dph/EH/Food/score/default.asp
San Francisco Food Safety
www.sfdph.org/dph/EH/Food/default.asp
Arizona Department of Health Services
www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/food-safety-environmental-services/index.php
Office of Food Safety and Environmental Health
150 N 18th Avenue, #140
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-364-3118
Maricopa County Department of Public Health
4041 N Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-506-6900
www.maricopa.gov/publichealth/
Maricopa County Food Safety Inspections
www.azcentral.com/HealthInspectionMaps
Pima County Health Department
webcms.pima.gov/government/health_department
Pima County Consumer Health & Food Safety Administration
webcms.pima.gov/health/food-safety/
Pima County Restaurant Ratings
www.pima.gov/restaurantratings/
State of Alaska Food Safety and Sanitation Program
555 Cordova Street, 5th Floor
Anchorage, AK 99501
907- 269-7501 / 877-233-3663 (87 Safe Food – toll free)
www.dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/index.htm
Food Safety & Sanitation by Location
www.dec.state.ak.us/eh/fss/Food/sanstaff.htm
Food Safety Inspections (Statewide)
www.dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/Food/food_inspections.htm
Making a Complaint (Food and Sanitation)
http://dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/Food/Complaints.html
Food Safety for Consumers
dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/consumers/consumers.html
Foodborne & Waterborne Disease Information
www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/id/dod/foodwater/default.htm
Anchorage Area Food Safety Inspections
hhs.muni.org/fss/
Alabama Department of Public Health
201 Monroe Street, Suite 1250
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-206-5300 / 800-ALA-1818
www.adph.org
Division of Food, Milk, and Lodging
www.adph.org/foodsafety/
Food Establishment Scores
www.adph.org/foodscores
County Health Departments in Alabama
www.adph.org/administration/Default.asp?id=505
Jefferson County Department of Health
1400 Sixth Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233
205-933-9110
www.jcdh.org
Mobile County Health Department
251 North Bayou Street
Mobile, AL 36603
251-690-8158
www.mobilecountyhealth.org
Mobile County Department of Food & Lodging
251-690-8116