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Food standards save lives
World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2023 will draw attention to food standards. Foodborne diseases affect 1 in 10 people worldwide each year, and food standards help us to ensure what we eat is safe.
More than 600 million people fall ill and 420 000 die every year from eating contaminated food. Nobody should die from eating food. These are preventable deaths.
The United Nations General Assembly established World Food Safety Day in 2018 to raise awareness on the importance of food safety. WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day, in collaboration with Member States and other stakeholders.
This year’s theme, “Food standards save lives”, highlights the role of established food safety practices and standards, which ensure food safety and quality
When you eat, how do you know your food is safe? Behind the scenes, countless people are involved in making sure that food production follows established food safety practices. WHO, together with FAO, leads global expert groups and provides scientific advice to develop international food safety standards to protect consumer health everywhere. Food standards are at the heart of food safety.
Everyone can take an active role in preventing foodborne illness, and World Food Safety Day offers an opportunity to get informed and involved.
Call to Action
Policymakers
Make safe food an easy choice by shaping public support programmes, such as food aid, school feeding and other publicly owned food outlets.
Focus on establishing a robust national food safety system and ensure it complies with food safety standards.
Encourage and engage in multisectoral collaboration at the local, national, regional and global levels.
Food businesses
Engage employees, suppliers and other stakeholders to grow and develop a food safety culture.
Comply with national and international food standards.
Educational institutions and workplaces
Promote safe food handling.
Engage with families and involve them in food safety activities.
Support food safety education.
Consumers
Practice safe food handling at home and follow WHO’s Five Keys to Safer Food: keep clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures and use safe water and raw materials.
Keep informed and promote food safety. Learn about food safety and join the #WorldFoodSafetyDay campaign.
A guide to World Food Safety Day 2023: food standards save lives
