Foodborne illness is caused by eating bacteria, viruses, or toxins in food. It is spread when people eat contaminated or undercooked meat, poultry, shellfish, fish, or other foods, or by drinking contaminated water.
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REPORTING |
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In Boston, if you suspect a foodborne illness, you should report it to the Boston Public Health Commission at (617) 534-5611. A public health nurse will ask you what your symptoms are, what you have eaten in the past few days, and where you have eaten. All information is kept confidential.
If a restaurant is suspected of being the cause of one or more cases of foodborne illness, the BPHC works with Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD). ISD is the city agency that inspects restaurants in the city of Boston. If a restaurant is the suspected cause of a case of foodborne illness, ISD will perform a complete inspection to determine if the restaurant is adhering to the sanitary code.
If you are interested in seeing a restaurant's inspection history, the city has designed a user-friendly website called the Mayor's Food Court.
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FOOD SAFETY CAMPAIGN |
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The Boston Public Health Commission's Communicable Disease Control Division launched a public awareness campaign to promote food safety and reduce the number of cases of salmonella and other foodborne illnesses. The campaign includes a brochure and video on proper food safety available in several languages. By following a simple checklist, “Chill, Clean, Separate, and Cook,’’ residents can keep their food and families healthy. The material is available free of charge to community health centers, hospitals, senior citizen centers, and other agencies. For copies of the brochures or the videos, please contact CDC at (617) 534-5611.
Download Videos:
Cantonese with English subtitles
Cantonese with Traditional Chinese subtitles
Mandarin with English subtitles
Mandarin with Traditional Chinese subtitles
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FOOD PRODUCT RECALL |
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Food products are taken off grocery store shelves and recalled when there is concern they might be contaminated. The most recent recalled food products can be found in the green box below. Click on the underlined food product or type the food name into the search box to learn more. The Boston Public Health Commission urges consumers to check at home for recalled products and throw the product away. For a complete list of food recalls, go to www.recalls.gov, or visit the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for updated information on food recalls.
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FDA Product Recall List
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