Food poisoning in Houston: which health department to call and what to keep
Who you report to depends on where you ate. Inside Houston city limits, call the Houston Health Department at 832-393-5100. In unincorporated Harris County, call Harris County Public Health at (713) 274-6300. Keep the receipt and any leftovers. A food poisoning claim in Houston generally must be filed within 2 years.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (25)
Who do I report food poisoning to in Houston?
It depends on the address of the place that served the food. Two agencies split Harris County, and a third handles trucks.
| Where you ate | Who takes the report | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant or store inside Houston city limits | Houston Health Department, Consumer Health Services | 8000 North Stadium Dr., Second Floor; 832-393-5100 |
| Unincorporated Harris County or a city with no health department | Harris County Public Health | (713) 274-6300 |
| Food truck or other mobile vendor | Texas Department of State Health Services, since July 1, 2026 | Houston's complaint page lists the state contact |
Houston will not give your name to the business you report. That means you can report without worrying about a confrontation.
What if several people got sick after the same meal in Houston?
Call right away. Houston's illness form says that if more than two people became ill, you should call 832-393-5100 immediately after filling it out. Several sick people from one place is how an outbreak gets found.
Harris County Public Health covers about 8,400 retail food businesses outside Houston and in 23 cities with no health department of their own. Whichever office you reach, give the date and time of the meal, what you ate and when symptoms began.
What proof should I keep after food poisoning in Houston?
- See a doctor. Ask the provider to test stool or blood.
- List each meal and snack from the last week, with where you bought it.
- Keep the receipt, the card statement and the original packaging.
- Save leftovers in a sealed bag in the freezer if the health department asks for them. Inspectors may ask for receipts or leftovers.
- Report to the right health department from the table above.
- Photograph any rash, swelling or dehydration treatment and keep every bill.
Some lab results go to PulseNet, a national network that can match the same strain across cases. A match can tie your illness to a food source.
Was it the last meal I ate before getting sick?
Often not. Sickness often shows up 2 to 3 days after eating. The germ matters:
- Staph: 30 minutes to 8 hours.
- Norovirus: 12 to 48 hours.
- Salmonella: 6 hours to 6 days.
- Campylobacter: 2 to 5 days.
So a lawyer will look at your whole week, not just the last restaurant. That is why the food diary matters.
Who can I sue for food poisoning in Houston?
A restaurant, a grocery store or a food maker, depending on where the failure happened. Texas product rules treat producers and processors as manufacturers. A seller that did not make the food is not liable unless an exception applies, and one exception is a seller that actually knew of the problem. Texas lists oysters as a known-risk product, which can limit claims over them.
A health department inspection or a bad report does not decide your case, but it can point to what went wrong. Texas bars recovery if a jury finds you more than 50 percent responsible.
Questions
Can I report a Houston restaurant without giving my name?
Providing contact information on Houston's illness form is optional. If you do give it, the city will not pass it to the business.
Where do I report food poisoning from a Houston food truck?
To the Texas Department of State Health Services, since July 1, 2026.
How long do I have to sue over food poisoning in Houston?
Two years from when your claim arises, in general. Time does not run while you are under 18.
Food poisoning in Houston? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (25)
- Houston Health Department, Permit Contacts, checked 2026-11-09. “8000 North Stadium Dr., Second Floor Houston, Texas 77054 Phone: 832-393-5100”
- Harris County Public Health, Foodborne Illness and Food Complaints, checked 2026-11-09. “Calling (713) 274-6300.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Houston Health Department, Permit Contacts, checked 2026-11-09. “to file a complaint against a food establishment that is located in the city of Houston”
- Houston Health Department, Foodborne Illness Complaint Form, checked 2026-11-09. “If more than two persons became ill, please call 832.393.5100 immediately after completing this form.”
- Harris County Public Health, Foodborne Illness and Food Complaints, checked 2026-11-09. “protecting residents from the foodborne disease at any establishment or event that serves or sells food in unincorporated Harris County”
- Houston Health Department, Complaint and Comment Form, checked 2026-11-09. “all complaints regarding mobile food vendors, including food safety and permitting concerns, must be directed to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)”
- Harris County Public Health, Food Safety Program, checked 2026-11-09. “responsible for approximately 8,400 retail food establishments located within the unincorporated areas of the county and for 23 cities that do not have their own health departments”
- Houston Health Department, Retail Food Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Information identifying the complainant will not be provided to the food establishment that is the subject of the complaint.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “They can take a sample of your poop or blood and test it.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Write down everything you remember eating in the week before you got sick.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Store or freeze food with the original packaging or label.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “They may also ask for copies of receipts, your shopper card number, or leftover food for testing.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Some test results (without information that identifies you) are sent to PulseNet.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “It often takes 2 to 3 days to start feeling sick after eating a contaminated food.”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “diarrhea 30 minutes to 8 hours”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “body aches are also possible 12 to 48 hours”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after infection”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “fever, stomach cramps 2 to 5 days”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 82.001, checked 2026-11-09. “a designer, formulator, constructor, rebuilder, fabricator, producer, compounder, processor, or assembler of any product”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.003, checked 2026-11-09. “A seller that did not manufacture a product is not liable for harm caused to the claimant by that product unless the claimant proves”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.003, checked 2026-11-09. “the seller actually knew of a defect to the product at the time the seller supplied the product”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 82.004, checked 2026-11-09. “(B) an oyster.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”