Unsafe food causes an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths worldwide every year, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The findings underscore the often-overlooked impact of food contamination on public health, economic development, and vulnerable communities.
Released ahead of World Food Safety Day, observed annually on June 7, the report highlights that children under five years old bear a disproportionate share of the burden.
Although they make up only nine percent of the global population, young children account for nearly one-third of all foodborne diseases, many of which involve severe diarrhoeal infections that can be fatal.
Unsafe food refers to food contaminated by biological agents such as bacteria and parasites, chemical substances including toxins and heavy metals, or physical contaminants like glass and metal fragments. These hazards can lead to illnesses ranging from mild gastrointestinal problems to life-threatening conditions.
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The WHO also warned that exposure to harmful chemicals such as lead and methylmercury through food can impair brain development in children, resulting in lifelong neurological and developmental disorders.
“Food safety is not an abstract issue, it touches every meal, every family, every day,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Unsafe food has always been a major public health concern, but until now, we lacked the bigger picture of its staggering human and economic toll. These new estimates change that.”
According to the study, foodborne bacteria, viruses, and parasites caused approximately 860 million illnesses in 2021 alone. However, chemical contamination accounted for the majority of deaths linked to unsafe food, representing 73 percent of food-related fatalities that year.
Inorganic arsenic and lead emerged as the leading causes of chemically induced deaths due to their association with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Combined, the two substances were linked to more than one million deaths in 2021.
Food contamination can occur through unsafe water, poor food handling practices, and environmental pollution from industrial activities. Once toxic substances such as arsenic, lead, or methylmercury enter the food chain, they are often extremely difficult to eliminate.
The WHO reported that Africa and Southeast Asia account for nearly three-quarters of global foodborne illnesses and 60 percent of related deaths. Children and people living in low-resource settings remain the most vulnerable, reflecting ongoing challenges in food safety systems, healthcare access, and sanitation.
Economic Impact
The economic consequences are also significant. Foodborne diseases resulted in an estimated $310 billion in lost productivity globally in 2021. When adjusted for differences in living costs across countries, the total economic impact rises to approximately $647 billion.
“This report is a wake-up call – but also a roadmap,” said Yuki Minato, WHO technical officer for food safety and senior author of the study published in The Lancet Global Health. “The data show that foodborne diseases are not only persistent but are being worsened by climate change, which increases contamination risks, and by antimicrobial resistance, which makes infections harder to treat. We cannot tackle these threats alone.”
The WHO said the findings provide countries with critical data to strengthen food safety systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance collaboration across health, agriculture, and environmental sectors.
“Delay costs lives,” Minato warned.
NAN
