Globally, approximately 600 million people experience diseases associated with unsafe foods, which claim the lives of 420,000 people each year. Children are the most affected, with 125,000 of them dying every year. Diseases associated with unhygienic foods have particularly affected vulnerable members of society, among them women, victims of conflicts and children. The global foodborne disease burden has become an issue of concern that has not only affected human health, but has far reaching effects on food security, sustainable development, market access, tourism, agriculture and the general economic prosperity of the world.
Today, as we mark World Food Safety Day under the theme ‘Safer food, better health’, there is a need to harmonise and streamline food chain processes from production, harvesting, processing, storage, distribution, preparation and consumption of the food that we consume.
This also includes strengthening systems and processes that monitor food regulation, embracing technology to ensure nothing is left to chance, bringing attention to food safety issues in the global agenda and championing robust food safety governance. These would be crucial steps towards reducing the burden of foodborne diseases world over.
It is particularly encouraging to note that the delegates attending the 75th World Health Assembly adopted the Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022 to 2030. The roadmap that seeks to leave no one behind in this noble initiative is looking at modernising food safety systems and bolstering collaboration across sectors and players. While there has been a push to have countries commit more resources towards this drive and to create national implementation roadmaps, there is a need to implement metrics that constantly measure the progress of these commitments.
In order to ensure a healthy global population, we must walk the talk of strengthening our food systems from farm to table and guarantee safe food for all.
Photo by Ja Ma