Suspected food poisoning and defects in food

Notify the municipal food control authority if you suspect that a food that you have sold, served or consumed has caused food poisoning, an allergic reaction or other harm.

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Food poisoning is an infection or poisoning caused by food or domestic water. Food poisoning is most often caused by viruses, bacteria or toxins produced by these. Food poisoning can also be caused by parasites, fungi, poisonous plants and chemical substances.

Food poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhoea and fever.

Examples of potential harm caused by food include:
- a foreign object found in the food (such as a stone or other harmful object)
- a manufacturing error (the food may be spoiled due to an error or contain an ingredient that is not declared).

Notify the municipal food control authority if you suspect that a food that you have sold, served or consumed has caused food poisoning, an allergic reaction or other harm.

Submit a notification of suspected food poisoning as an enterpriser

When you submit the notification in the electronic Ilppa service of environmental health care, your notification will be directed only to the supervisor of the food premises. If necessary, the supervisor will ask for additional information from you and give you instructions.

Submit a notification of suspected food poisoning or other harm as a customer

If you have been a customer in a company selling or serving food in Helsinki and you suspect that the food or drink you have eaten has caused you symptoms of food poisoning, an allergic reaction or other harm, submit a consumer notification in the electronic Ilppa notification service of environmental health care. We also recommend giving feedback directly to the company.

Submit a notification of suspected food poisoning or other harm as a customer

If you have been a customer in a company selling or serving food in Helsinki and you suspect that the food or drink you have eaten has caused you symptoms of food poisoning, an allergic reaction or other harm, submit a consumer notification in the electronic Ilppa notification service of environmental health care. We also recommend giving feedback directly to the company. 

Go to the consumer notifications section of the Ilppa.fi service(Link leads to external service)

(available in Finnish and Swedish) 

Contact information

If you have any questions about food poisoning, you can contact the supervision of foodstuffs by e-mail at kymp.elintarviketurvallisuus@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program) .

Please send confidential information (e.g. health information) by secure email: send a secure email to the City of Helsinki supervision of foodstuffs.(Link leads to external service)

The Poison Information Center provides first aid in case of overdoses and help with questions about plants, mushrooms and technochemical products. In life-threatening emergencies, contact the Emergency Response Centre directly, tel. 112.

Go to the Poison Information Center’s website(Link leads to external service)

You can also find this page at hel.fi/foodpoisoning.