Food safety is one of the most important topics when it comes to protecting the health of our Three Rivers District. Many more people than ever before are dining outside the home. This behavior places more pressure on the food service industry to provide high-quality and safely prepared food. Preparing quality safe food at home and in restaurants begins with education. Food Safety and sanitation is the responsibility of those who prepare and cook the food. Please review the links below so that we may partner together to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Restaurant Complaint
Three Rivers District Health Department can assist you with any concerns that you may have regarding restaurant cleanliness. We will file an incident report for our records and notify our local food inspector. The food inspector will follow-up on the restaurant as soon as possible. Three Rivers encourages you to call our offices whenever you think there may be a violation. The Three Rivers District is large and we need your help to prevent illness. Please call 402-727-5396 to file a complaint.
Foodborne Illness Complaint
Three Rivers District Health Department has a disease surveillance and environmental health department that collaborate to identify the possible origin of a foodborne illness. Three Rivers recommends that you see a physician if you think you may have gotten sick from something you ate. Also, please notify our department at 402-727-5396 so that we may file a report and investigate the incident. When complaining about a restaurant or food establishment keep in mind that there is an incubation period for foodborne illnesses. For example, Norovirus has an incubation period of 24-48 hours. Thus if you ate at a restaurant for dinner and you get sick later that evening chances are that you did not get ill from the restaurant's food. Even so, different pathogens have varying incubation periods so it is always important to visit your doctor to determine the cause of your illness. Below you'll find a copy of our Food-borne illness report form. Please review it and have the information ready when calling the department.
Requirements for Food Establishment Operations
Are you trying to open a new restaurant or temporary food stand? There are many stringent rules and guidelines that you need to follow before you are allowed to serve the public. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is the agency that can help you meet those requirements. You can reach them at 402-471-2536. Three Rivers District Health Department can provide you with FREE "hand-washing" and "no smoking" stickers. Stop in or call our office at 402-727-5396.