World Food Safety Day 2023: 5 facts you should know

1 min read 07 Jun 2023, 07:00 AM IST Livemint

World Food Safety Day aims to raise awareness about the need for food safety and prevent foodborne diseases, which affect 1 in 10 people globally each year. Unsafe food causes an estimated 16 million illnesses daily and leads to almost 420,000 deaths annually.

The World Bank's 2019 report shows that foodborne diseases cause about $95.2 billion in lost productivity each year in low- and middle-income countries. (unsplash) — The World Bank's 2019 report shows that foodborne diseases cause about $95.2 billion in lost productivity each year in low- and middle-income countries. **(unsplash)**

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on June 7 every year in a bid to bring awareness about the need for food safety and draw the issues caused by consuming unsafe food.

World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization work together to observe World Food Safety Day in a bid to prevent foodborne diseases and contribute to food security and human health.

World Food Safety Day was first celebrated on June 7, 2019 after it was established by the United Nations General Assembly through a resolution the year before. It was proposed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and co-sponsored by a total of 44 countries.

Here are 5 facts you should know about World Food Safety Day:

1) According to WHO,1 in 10 people around the world get affected by foodborne diseases every year while an estimated 16,00,000 people get sick each day due to unsafe food.

2) UN data indicated that foodborne disease lead to the death of almost 4,20,000 people each year with children contributing almost 40% of those at 1,25,000 deaths.

3) The World Bank's 2019 report shows that foodborne diseases cause about $95.2 billion in lost productivity each year in low- and middle-income countries. The report also shows that the cost of treating foodborne diseases is $15 billion a year.

4) According to the WHO, unsafe food containing bacteria, viruses and parasites leads to more than 200 food-borne diseases. The way to prevent these diseases is through adequate hygiene, handling, storage and processing practices.

5) Food safety plays an important role in ensuring that food remains safe at every stage, including harvesting, processing, storage and distribution, until it is ready to be prepared and consumed.

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