Report a Food Borne Illness

CALL 847.866.2962 OR EMAIL safefood@cityofevanston.org

The Evanston Health Department investigates all food borne illnesses by interviewing the individual that is sick to obtain symptoms and food eaten before performing a site investigation.

Typically, Food borne illnesses occur between 6 and 72 hours after food is consumed. If you are sick from food and your symptoms worsen it is important to consult your physician.

An estimated 76 million cases of foodborne disease occur each year in the United States. The great majority of these cases are mild and cause symptoms for only a day or two. Some cases are more serious, and CDC estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to foodborne diseases each year. The most severe cases tend to occur in the very old, the very young, those who have an illness already that reduces their immune system function, and in healthy people exposed to a very high dose of an organism.