Explosive diarrhea sounds…rough. Any rumbling in King County?

July 16, 2026.Reading time 8 minutes.

Una persona se agarra el estómago. Al fondo se ven un inodoro y un azulejo verde.

A national outbreak of Cyclospora—more commonly known by its main symptom, explosive diarrhea–continues to grow, but here in King County, we have not seen any unexpected increases in cyclosporiasis (the disease caused by Cyclospora) so far. We talked with Ann Shen, the lead for foodborne and enteric disease investigations for Public Health – Seattle & King County, about the local situation.

Keep food poisoning off the menu this holiday season

November 24, 2025.Reading time 7 minutes.

It’s the holiday season, and that means FOOD! Whether you’re hosting a big group or bringing your famous side dish to a gathering, you want to make sure your food is both delicious and safe.

Make sure your food vendor has a Public Health permit to avoid foodborne illness

May 21, 2025.Reading time 9 minutes.

The best way to protect yourself from foodborne illnesses when you’re eating out is to only buy food from businesses that have a food safety rating sign – the green smiley face signs. These signs mean that a business has a Public Health food permit, which is an important step in the process to make sure a business is safely serving food.

Public Health’s food safety rating system is expanding! Here’s what to expect.

December 16, 2024.Reading time 4 minutes.

As 2025 approaches, we have great news for food lovers across King County. Public Health’s popular food safety rating system – the green smiley face signs in restaurant windows – is expanding to include more food businesses.

‘Bridging the Gap’ explores food safety in second podcast miniseries

September 10, 2024.Reading time 5 minutes.

With over 10,000 restaurants in King County, Public Health’s Food Protection Program plays a critical role in monitoring and ensuring food safety. Part two of our three-episode podcast, Bridging the Gap, explores how environmental health shows up in our everyday lives.

How to reduce your risk of foodborne illness and support permitted food vendors

September 6, 2024.Reading time 9 minutes.

Recently, we’ve seen an increase in the number of unpermitted mobile food vendors selling food in King County. We are urging people to avoid vendors operating without a Public Health permit for two reasons: 1) to protect yourself from potential foodborne illness and 2) to help support mobile vendors that are following food safety best practices.