I got sick from a restaurant or a product — who do I report it to?
See a doctor first if it is serious — Your family doctor (GP) — and ask for a stool test; that is the only proof of the cause. Then report the restaurant or the product to FAVV — Meldpunt (0800 13 550), the food-safety authority for Belgium: they inspect, can close a kitchen, and trigger a product recall. Wooninspectie (Wonen in Vlaanderen) / DIRL Brussel / Wallonie logement (vlaanderen.be) handles local hygiene complaints in many countries. Keep the receipt, the packaging and, if you can, a sample of the food in the freezer.
🗣️ What to say
"On [date] I ate [what] at [restaurant / bought at shop, brand, batch number]. From [time] I had [symptoms] for [duration]; [doctor visit / test result]. I want to report a suspected food-poisoning case; receipt and packaging kept."
🪜 Step by step
- Doctor and testEspecially with fever, blood or symptoms over two days. The lab result names the germ, which links your case to others.
- Keep the evidenceReceipt, packaging with batch number, photos, leftovers frozen in a bag.
- Report to FAVV — MeldpuntOnline form. Two reports about the same place in a week get an inspection.
- Tell the restaurant or producerIn writing. Their insurer may compensate; an honest place wants to know.
- CompensationMedical costs, lost wages and pain can be claimed from the business; the report and test result are the basis.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Was it really that meal?
Symptoms within 6–48 hours point to the last one or two meals, but some germs take days. The test result and other reports decide.
Will they close the restaurant?
Only if the inspection finds a problem. Your report is one input; the inspector's findings are what count.
I found a foreign object in a product
Keep it and the packaging, photograph, report to FAVV — Meldpunt with the batch number — that is a recall trigger.
📎 Sources
- FAVV — Meldpunt →
- Wooninspectie (Wonen in Vlaanderen) / DIRL Brussel / Wallonie logement →
- FOD Economie — Meldpunt →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “report food poisoning restaurant Belgium”
- “food safety authority complaint Belgium”
- “food poisoning compensation”
- “report unsafe food product”
- “foreign object in food report”
🧭 Is this still correct?
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