MCHD works to reduce cases of foodborne illnesses 09.08.25
September 8, 2025
MCHD works to reduce cases of foodborne illnesses
MOBILE, Ala— September is National Food Safety Education Month. The Mobile County Health Department (MCHD) takes an active role in preventing foodborne illness, also known as “food poisoning.”
The Food & Drug Administration estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually – that is about 1 in 6 Americans each year. Each year, these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.
MCHD’s Inspection Services department enforces the regulations for retail food establishments, mobile and temporary food units, body art facilities, hotel lodging, camps, and detention centers, as well as local countywide regulations for swimming pools and child daycare centers.
These facilities are required by state and local law to have permits and/or licenses to operate in Mobile County. In 2024, MCHD’s staff conducted 3,102 inspections.
“The Mobile County Health Department continues to partner with food establishments across the county,” said Dr. Kevin Michaels, Health Officer for Mobile County. “We encourage continued food safety training for restaurant and bar employees to safeguard the general public’s health and uphold the credibility of the food service industry. Food and ice are potential sources to foodborne illnesses.”
Dr. Michaels said that so far in 2025, there have been 204 complaints investigated in Mobile County.
“The typical mechanism was undercooked or contaminated food or utensils,” he said. “The contamination is from animal or human waste.
“How does this happen? An individual does not wash before food preparation and serving, cooking utensils or worksite are not cleaned and sanitized, or food is not heated to the appropriate serving temperature, held at proper temperatures during service, or cooled properly.”
While education does not prevent all occurrences, it does provide a strong foundation of knowledge to mitigate the risk. The knowledge and refresher training on the local Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code decreases the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks, legal consequences, reputational damage, loss of customers, and a decline in employee morale.
“We invest in our employees to establish good work practices,” Dr. Michaels said. “All organizations have initial training and refresher training programs to provide a great customer service experience or product. The Mobile County Health Department works with the restaurant teams throughout the year to achieve success in their sanitation inspection score. The score should be predominantly displayed along with training certificates.”
To learn more about Inspection Services, visit https://mchd.org/environmental-health/#Inspection-Services or call 251-690-8116.