World Health Organization (WHO) 24d ago

On 7 June, WHO and FAO observe World Food Safety Day. On the occasion of World Food Safety Day 2026, WHO released the new estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases. Unsafe food caused 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths in 2021, with young children at highest risk. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros highlighted that these estimates are not only about burden, they are also about solutions. For the first time, countries have their own data to identify where the burden is highest, which hazards cause the greatest harm, and which populations are most affected. With that knowledge, governments can prioritize, take a multisectoral approach, and find the political will to protect their people. More about World Food Safety Day: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-food-safety-day/2026 More about the estimates: https://www.who.int/teams/nutrition-and-food-safety/monitoring-nutritional-status-and-food-safety-and-events/foodborne-disease-estimates/2026-edition