World Food Safety Day, 2024

World Food Safety Day is jointly facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and 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.

Why take ACTION?

When food is not safe, people cannot consume the nutrients they need to stay healthy, to learn or to work. More than 600 million people fall ill and 420 000 die every year after eating contaminated food. These illnesses and these deaths are largely preventable if food safety is prioritized along the food chain, from the producer to the consumer.

This means that no matter who you are or what you do, you play an important role in making sure food is safe to eat. That is why the slogan for World Food Safety Day is: Food safety is everyone’s business.

FACTS and FIGURES

One in ten people worldwide fall ill from contaminated food each year. It affects all countries.

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

Children under 5 make up 9 percent of the population, but carry 40 percent of the foodborne disease burden, being at a higher risk of malnutrition and mortality due to unsafe food.

Food safety incidents are not only caused by foodborne illness. They can be due an unexpected event that can lead to contamination or cause a break down in food safety controls, such as power outage or flooding.

Since its creation in 2004, the FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) has facilitated the rapid exchange of information across borders and between members, during thousands of food safety events.

Source: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-food-safety-day/2024