Unsafe food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites and harmful chemicals is responsible for the deaths of around 1.5 million people worldwide every year, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The UN health agency’s analysis of 194 countries covering the period from 2000 to 2021 found that about 886 million people suffer food-borne illnesses annually, with children under five facing the greatest danger. Young children were found to be nearly three times more likely to be affected than older age groups.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the universal impact of the issue.
“Food safety is not an abstract issue — it touches every meal, every family, every day,” he said.
While the overall burden of food-related illnesses has fallen since 2000, the report highlighted stark regional disparities.
Africa and Southeast Asia account for nearly three-quarters of all food-borne disease cases globally and about 60 per cent of related deaths, making them the regions most affected by unsafe food.
The study revealed that biological contaminants, including bacteria and viruses, were responsible for the vast majority of illnesses. In 2021 alone, these hazards caused approximately 860 million cases of food-borne disease worldwide.
However, chemical contamination was linked to a disproportionately high number of deaths. The WHO identified arsenic and lead poisoning as the leading non-biological causes of fatal food-related illnesses.
According to WHO food safety specialist Yuki Minato, emerging global challenges are making the situation worse.
“The data show that food-borne diseases are not only persistent but are being made worse by climate change, which increases contamination risks, and by antimicrobial resistance, which makes infections harder to treat,” Minato said.
Beyond its impact on public health, the report highlighted the significant economic burden of unsafe food. Food-borne diseases were estimated to have cost the global economy $647 billion in lost productivity in 2021, underscoring the far-reaching consequences of poor food safety standards.
