The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday that approximately 1.6 million people fall ill each day due to unsafe food. This alarming statistic was shared by Francesco Branca, the WHO’s head of nutrition and food safety, during a UN press briefing in Geneva in observance of World Food Safety Day.
Children under the age of five are particularly vulnerable, bearing 40 percent of the global foodborne disease burden. Branca stressed that food safety hazards are a global issue, with risks that can quickly escalate from local problems to international emergencies due to the interconnected nature of the global food supply.
Humanitarian crises around the world further exacerbate food insecurity and compromise food safety, highlighting the need for urgent action. Branca urged governments to make food safety a clear priority in their national health security plans. He also called for updated risk communication strategies and the implementation of integrated surveillance systems that encompass animal, environmental, and human health.
Supporting this call to action, Markus Lipp, a senior food safety officer from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), emphasized that safe food is “fundamental” to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Lipp noted that safe food is essential for the FAO’s strategic objectives of improving production, nutrition, the environment, and overall quality of life.
“When food is produced and traded within a safe and sustainable agrifood system, it contributes to healthy lives and enhances sustainability by enabling market access and productivity, which drives economic development and poverty alleviation, particularly in rural areas,” Lipp said.
Improving food safety, Lipp added, is crucial for safeguarding public health and reducing child mortality, especially since children under five carry the highest burden of foodborne diseases.
