Every day, 1.6 million people worldwide, including 40 per cent of children under 5, suffer from illnesses due to unsafe food consumption, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed, emphasizing the urgent need for global action to tackle food safety challenges and safeguard public health.

Sharing the data on the eve of the World Food  Safety Day, Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director, underscored the urgent need for global action on food safety given that unsafe food not only poses health risks but also leads to reduced productivity and increased medical costs, amounting to a staggering annual loss of $110 billion, particularly impacting low- and middle-income countries.

“Unsafe food leads to reduced productivity and raises medical costs resulting from foodborne illnesses that amount to an estimated annual loss of USD 110 billion, in low-and middle-income countries,” she added.

The Regional Director noted that the South-East Asia Region bears the second-highest health burden, after Africa, due to the consumption of contaminated food. The region experiences an estimated 150 million illnesses and 175,000 every year.

Tropical climate, which promotes the spread of pests and advances the formation of naturally occurring toxins, coupled with the impacts of climate change are the reasons behind food contamination.

“Food safety is a collective responsibility, and governments, producers, and consumers need to play their role in ensuring food safety,” Saima said.She called on governments to develop and regularly test the effectiveness of national food safety emergency response plans. The Regional Director said that producers or food business operators are responsible for implementing and updating food safety management plans. She also called on consumers to empower themselves by practising safe food handling at home and reporting a food safety incident.

This year's theme, 'Prepare for the unexpected,' highlights the importance of being proactive in preventing, detecting, and responding to food-related hazards.

Addressing food safety requires a collective effort, with governments, producers, and consumers each playing a vital role. Governments must prioritize the development and testing of national food safety emergency response plans, while producers are responsible for implementing and updating food safety management protocols. Consumers, too, have a role to play by practicing safe food handling at home and promptly reporting any food safety incidents they encounter.

Foodborne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic in nature and caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food. Chemical contamination can lead to acute poisoning or long-term diseases, such as cancer. Many foodborne diseases may lead to long-lasting disability and death.