Have you ever been food poisoned?

A few years back, GP and Drew got so sick on our holiday in California that they couldn’t fly home with the rest of us. It took them a good three days to recover.

We knew exactly what they ate and where they ate… but besides calling the restaurant, there wasn’t anything we could do about it. Twitter has changed all that… at least in Chicago.

Earlier this year, the Chicago Department of Public Health, using the Twitter handle @Foodbornechi began monitoring tweets from Chicago diners with the words “food poisoning.” Volunteers then contact the victims and encourage them to fill out a form and report the incident.

This could help “connect the dots” in the race to trace the source of a specific outbreak or help pinpoint restaurants that may be unknowingly spreading foodborne illness.

Think this is a good idea? Let me know. Critics say while a lot of people scream “food poisoning!” if they get sick after a meal… the last thing eaten isn’t always to blame. Did you know you can get sick from food poisoning up to TWO WEEKS later! (That’s According to the Centers for Disease Control).

Still, I think Twitter is a great idea. May not make your stomach stop hurting… but it might make you feel a little better to vent your anger.

And, who knows…you might just help a fellow diner avoid a potential problem down the road.