Help and Resources
Think You Have a Foodborne Illness?
Get medical care first, then report it. Reporting is how outbreaks get found, and it takes one phone call.
Right Away
Call Your Health Care Provider
Call your health care provider and get medical care right away. Save the food package, can, or carton, then report the problem.
Who to Call
Reporting a Problem with Food
- Call USDA at 1-888-674-6854 if you think the illness was caused by meat, poultry, or eggs.
- Call FDA at 1-866-300-4374 for all other foods.
- Call your local health department if you think you got sick from food at a restaurant or another food seller.
Resources
Where to Get Answers
Free, public guidance from the agencies that write the rules.
| Resource | Contact | What It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Food Safety at Home | fda.gov/consumers/womens-health-topics/food-safety-home | This guide’s source page; a one-page fact sheet, available in 17 languages including Spanish. |
| USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline | 1-888-674-6854; Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET; English or Spanish | Questions about safe handling of meat, poultry, and egg products. |
| Ask USDA | ask.usda.gov | 24/7 automated food safety answers; live chat during hotline hours. |
| FDA Food and Cosmetic Information Center | 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366); Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. ET | General food safety questions. |
| CDC-INFO | 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636); 24 hours | General public health questions. |
| FoodKeeper app | foodsafety.gov/foodkeeper; iOS and Android | Storage guidance for more than 650 food and beverage items, with reminders before food expires. |
| FoodSafety.gov | foodsafety.gov | Combined CDC, FDA, and USDA guidance for consumers. |
| Barbecue and smoker guidance | See FDA and USDA fact sheets linked from foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/4-steps-to-food-safety | Seasonal grilling and smoking food safety, for warm-weather editions of this guide. |