Washington State Launches Food Poisoning Reporting Tool

(TNS) — The Washington State Department of Health has launched a new system that makes it easier for members of the public to report suspected food poisoning and file a food safety complaint.

According to the DOH, food poisoning is preventable, but one in six Americans gets sick by eating or drinking contaminated foods or beverages every year, according to the DOH. Children under the age of five, seniors, people who are pregnant or who have compromised immune systems are at the highest risk of developing severe symptoms.

"Foodborne illness is preventable through safe food handling," said Alyssa Pilot, a public health advisor for DOH's food safety program, in a phone call with McClatchy. "So when we are educated on how to properly handle our food that helps prevent foodborne illness."

The Foodborne Illness Notification System (FINS) is an online platform that can be used to notify the health department about any foodborne illness or food safety concerns. The news release stated that using FINS to report any potential foodborne illnesses is the "best way to ensure action can be taken to promote food safety in Washington."

WHY REPORTING FOOD POISONING MATTERS

In Washington, reports of foodborne illness are handled by local health departments. This can be confusing for consumers trying to report an illness, according to Pilot.

"Any retail food establishment is regulated by the local health department. So the public, when reporting any type of foodborne illness or food safety concerns, they have to understand that they have to go to their local health department to do that," Pilot said. "We wanted to close that gap and provide one location for consumers in Washington to report those types of things with the confidence knowing that it will get to the right people."

Pilot said that DOH expects the new program to lead to an increase in the number of cases that are reported.

According to Pilot, another benefit of the program is that it will help DOH identify the source of an outbreak that causes illnesses in different counties.

"It will help identify the source, especially when it's an outbreak that is occurring across county lines, as we'll be able to see multiple reports coming from consumers for a common food product," Pilot said.

HOW TO REPORT FOOD POISONING THROUGH FINS

To report a case of foodborne illness through DOH's new system, you just have to fill out a survey online. You can report either a case of food poisoning or a food safety concern that you have about a particular establishment.

The survey is currently available in Spanish as well as English, and Pilot said that DOH is working on adding other languages as well.

FOOD POISONING SYMPTOMS

These are the symptoms to look out for according to the DOH:

• Fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit

• Vomiting often

• Bloody diarrhea

• Signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, dizziness and not urinating much

The DOH advises people to seek medical help if bloody diarrhea or diarrhea last more than three days.

©2024 The Bellingham Herald, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.