Food safety and food poisoning

Causes and symptoms of food poisoning

There are around a million cases of food poisoning every year in the UK. Food can be contaminated at any stage during its production, processing or cooking. Food poisoning is rarely serious and can usually be treated at home.

For more information on the common causes and symptoms of food poisoning, as well as how to treat it, see:

Food poisoning - on the NHS website

Back to top

How to prepare and cook food safely at home

For advice on how to store food & leftovers, and how to prepare & cook food safely to help minimise the risk of food poisoning, see:

Food safety and hygiene - on the FSA website

Back to top

Investigating causes of food poisoning and food-borne illness

In some cases your GP is legally required to notify both us and the Health Authority if you visit them with a case of food related infectious disease. In the interests of public health we investigate notifiable cases of food related infectious disease to:

find the cause, is possible
minimise the risk of others being infected
see if individual cases are linked to a larger outbreak
investigate commercial food producers that may be linked to cases or outbreaks

For more information please contact the Environmental Health Team. See also:

Do you suspect you have food poisoning?

Back to top

Food allergies, intolerances, and coeliac disease

If you have a food allergy, intolerance, or coeliac disease, it is important that you have the information you need to make safe food choices.

A food allergy is when the body's immune system reacts unusually to specific foods. Although allergic reactions are often mild, they can be very serious.
A food intolerance is when you have difficulty digesting certain foods or ingredients in food. It is not the same thing as a food allergy.

To see how they differ and what causes food allergies, see:

See also advice on allergy-safe food (and information about eating out, or ordering in):

Food allergies, intolerances, and coeliac disease - on the FSA website

Back to top

Report a problem with food

If you want to make a complaint about a food product which you have purchased, or a premises where you have bought food or eaten you can report it to us: