Explained: The importance of World Food Safety Day

An estimated 420 000 people around the world die every year after eating contaminated food and children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year.

New Delhi, Jun 6: The United Nations established World Food Safety Day in 2018 to raise awareness of food safety. It is celebrated every year on June 7.

Annually, an estimated 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses are reported and unsafe food is considered a threat to human health and economies, disproportionally affecting vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and children, populations affected by conflict, and migrants.

As per the World Health Organization, an estimated 420 000 people around the world die every year after eating contaminated food and children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year.

"Safe food is one of the most critical guarantors for good health. Unsafe foods are the cause of many diseases and contribute to other poor health conditions, such as impaired growth and development, micronutrient deficiencies, noncommunicable or communicable diseases and mental illness. Globally, one in ten people are affected by foodborne diseases annually," WHO highlights the importance of the day.

The World Food Safety Day aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day, in collaboration with Member States and other relevant organizations. This international day is an opportunity to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food we eat is safe, mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of foodborne diseases globally.

Theme of World Food Safety Day 2022
"Safer food, better health" is the theme of World Food Safety Day, this year.

Facts and Figures (Source: WHO)
One in ten people worldwide fall ill from contaminated food each year. It affects all countries.

The magnitude of the public health burden due to foodborne diseases is comparable to that of malaria or HIV AIDS.

Over 200 diseases are caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances such as heavy metals.

Antimicrobial resistant microbes can be transmitted through the food chain, via direct contact between animals and humans or through the environment. Each year, an estimated 700 000 people die around the globe because of antimicrobial resistant infections.

Foodborne parasitic diseases can cause both acute and chronic health problems. The estimated number of illnesses from 11 main parasitic diseases is 48.4 million per year, 48 percent of
which are transmitted through food.

Children under the age of five are at a higher risk of malnutrition and mortality due to unsafe food and carry 40 percent of the foodborne disease
burden. Unsafe food caused one in six deaths from diarrhoea, a major killer in this age group.

Safe and nutritious foods benefit child growth and development by improving intellectual and physical potential, as well as increasing school performance and work productivity in adult life.

If there are no contraindications, exclusive breastfeeding is the safest way to feed infants during the first six months of life.

The production of safe food reduces food loss and waste and benefits the planet.

Safe food benefits the economy by increasing productivity, allowing prosperous national food markets and stable food exports and trade. It reduces the strain on health care systems.

The safety of food is affected by the health of animals, plants and the environment within which it is produced. Adopting a holistic One Health approach to food safety will deliver a better food safety system.

188 countries and one member organization (the European Union) have negotiated science-based recommendations in all areas related to food safety and quality, Codex Alimentarius
standards, which ensure that food is safe and can be traded. Food safety contributes to the achievement of the SDGs and is a truly cross-cutting area.