Foodborne Illnesses Claim 1.5 Million Lives Yearly, Endangering Children
WHO:
WHO - The World Health Organization released new estimates on foodborne illnesses.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus - WHO Director-General provided a quote regarding food safety.
Yuki Minato - WHO technical officer for food safety and senior author of The Lancet Global Health paper provided insights on foodborne diseases.
Dr. Harris Wang - Chair and professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center commented on the study.
Dr. Julie Jean - Professor in the department of food sciences at Université Laval in Québec, Canada, discussed the impact of foodborne illnesses.
WHAT:
WHO - Unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually.
WHO - Young children face almost three times the risk of illness from unsafe food compared to older children and adults.
WHO - In 2021, chemical hazards accounted for 73% of deaths due to contaminated food.
WHO - The economic impact of foodborne disease in 2021 was estimated at about US$ 310 billion in lost productivity, which adjusted for cost-of-living differences increased to US$ 647 billion.
CNN - Foodborne illnesses caused an estimated 1.5 million deaths worldwide in 2021.
CNN - Common pathogens causing foodborne illnesses include salmonella, E. coli, and listeria.
WHERE:
WHO - The estimates cover data from 194 countries.
WHO - The African and South-East Asian regions account for nearly three-quarters of all foodborne illnesses and 60% of global deaths.
WHEN:
WHO - The updated estimates are being released ahead of World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2026.
WHO - The estimates cover foodborne hazards from the years 2000 to 2021.
WHO - Findings will be presented during a webinar on Thursday 4 June 2026 at 11:30 CEST/10:30 BST/5:30 ET.
WHY:
WHO - The report highlights that foodborne diseases are persistent and worsened by climate change and antimicrobial resistance.
CNN - The study emphasizes the need for countries to implement strategies to improve food safety to reduce the burden of disease from contaminated food.
HOW:
WHO - WHO calls on governments to prevent contamination at the source through better agricultural practices, stricter industrial controls, and stronger environmental regulations.
CNN - Simple precautions like proper food handling and refrigerating foods within two hours can reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses.
(UPDATED June 4, 2026 13:59 UTC)
The World Health Organization has released alarming new estimates indicating that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths each year, with young children facing nearly three times the risk compared to older children and adults. The report, which covers data from 194 countries and highlights the significant impact of foodborne diseases, will be presented during a webinar on Thursday, June 4, 2026, ahead of World Food Safety Day on June 7. Experts emphasize the urgent need for countries to implement better agricultural practices and food safety strategies to combat the persistent threat posed by contaminated food, worsened by climate change and antimicrobial resistance.