Over 200 Diseases Caused By Unsafe Food, Kills 420,000 A Year: UN Agencies

News Desk

United Nations: Every day, some 1.6 million people worldwide fall ill from eating contaminated food which kills 420,000 people each year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported.

Two UN specialized agencies drew attention to global food safety concerns on World Food Safety Day by focusing on the role of established food safety practises and standards which ensure that what we eat is safe to consume.

“Food safety has a direct impact on our health. Over 200 diseases, from diarrhoea to cancer, are caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemicals,” stated WHO Assistant Director General Dr Maria Neira.

We tend to think about food safety only when we get sick, and we should think about it more often because food-borne diseases are entirely preventable, Dr Neira further said.

“Safe food allows the uptake of nutrients and promotes human development. Nobody should die from eating food. These are preventable deaths,” Dr Maria added.

Over 200 diseases are caused by eating contaminated food.

Unsafe food also kills 420,000 people a year.

On #WorldFoodSafetyDay, @WHO and @FAO call for action to prevent disease and death.https://t.co/AjqCA0KyFT

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) June 7, 2023

FAO will launch a website to help the food sector adhere to international food hygiene standards. Described as a toolbox, the site aims to both protect consumer health and promote fair practises in the food trade. A special focus has been given to small businesses and farmers in developing countries, as the website can be accessed on handheld mobile devices which are far more widespread in these nations than laptops or other computers.

The website includes guides to personal hygiene, such as how to educate visitors entering a food production site, the correct procedure and frequency for hand washing, and suggestions for appropriate clothing.

The technical content was developed and reviewed jointly by FAO Food Safety Officers and a team from the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph in Canada.

“Going forward, the plan is to collect feedback and possibly expand the toolbox to provide more in-depth guidance for other sectors of the agrifood system, such as fisheries,” the UN agency said.

Meanwhile, policymakers are asked to build strong national food safety systems that adhere to established criteria as part of the WHO’s call for action. Food enterprises are urged to collaborate with their staff, vendors, and other stakeholders to create a culture of food safety, and workplaces and educational institutions should promote proper food handling.

Consumers are also urged to play a role by practising safe food handling at home and according to WHO guidelines, such as washing hands before meals and using separate tools and utensils, such as knives and cutting boards, when handling raw foods.