Environmental Health

I feel sick from something I ate.  What do I do?

See your health care provider.  If you think you know what food made you sick, contact your local health department.

For more information about the role of NJDOH and NJ Department of Agriculture in food safety and food poisoning, visit:

• NJDOH Communicable Disease Service
• NJDOH Public Health and Food Protection Program
• NJ Department of Agriculture

For more information about types of foodborne illness and how to avoid getting sick, visit:

• FDA
• CDC
• USDA
• foodsafety.gov

For complaints about retail food establishments (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) please contact your local health department. 

• Allergies
• Baby Food
• Cooking At Home
  • E. Coli Illness - Protect Yourself [pdf 127k]
  • Holiday Food Safety Fact Sheet [pdf 106k]
  • Chill It, Cook It, Check It [pdf 129k]
  • National Center for Home Food Preservation
  • Food Safety and Inspection Service Factsheets
• Dietary Supplements and Herbal Remedies
• Food Poisoning
• Hamburger Safety:
  Undercooked burgers can cause illness (e.g., "food poisoning"), particularly in the elderly, in children 12 years of age and younger, and in people with weakened immunity. These groups should only eat burgers that are "well done," both at home and in restaurants. Burgers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155° F.
• Handwashing
• Juice Safety
• Label Reading
  • Are YOU Able to Read the Label? [pdf 1.35m]
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • Food Safety and Inspection Service Factsheets
• Organic Food
• Pregnancy
  • Food Safety for People with Weak Immune Systems [pdf 148k]
  • Pregnancy & Listeria [pdf 152k]
  • Your Baby Eats What You Eat [English pdf 1.77m] [Español pdf 649k]
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Information for Consumers and Health Educators
• Produce Safety
• Raw Food (Milk, Oysters, Etc.)
  • Raw Milk [pdf 148k]
  • The Risk of Eating Raw Oysters [English pdf 166k] [Español pdf 172k]
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration - The Dangers of Raw Milk
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Raw Oyster Myths
• Recalls
• Seafood Safety
  • Your Guide to Gathering Shellfish [pdf 55k]
  • New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station - Seafood Safety
  • NJ Fish Advisories
  • Your Baby Eats What You Eat [English pdf 1.77m] [Español pdf 649k]
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving it Safely
  • Blue Crab Brochure [English, Español]
  • Fish Smart Eat Smart Brochure [English, Español]
  • NJDOH Recreational Shellfish Flyer
  • Risk of Eating Raw Shellfish [English, Español]
• Seniors
  • Food Safety for People with Weak Immune Systems [pdf 148k]
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration - Information for People Over 65 Years Old on Food, Nutrition, and Cosmetics