WHO reports unsafe food causes 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths each year

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a new report estimating that unsafe food leads to about 866 million food‑borne illness cases and 1.5 million deaths worldwide every year. Children younger than five are nearly three times more likely to fall ill from contaminated food and represent roughly one‑third of all food‑related disease cases, despite making up only about 9 % of the global population. The majority of illnesses stem from bacterial, viral and parasitic contamination, while chemical hazards such as arsenic, mercury and lead account for a disproportionate share of fatalities – about 73 % of food‑related deaths in 2021 were linked to chemical contaminants. The burden is heavily concentrated in Africa and Southeast Asia, which together account for around 75 % of cases and 60 % of deaths. Economic losses from reduced productivity and health care costs were estimated at $310 billion to $647 billion in 2021. WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that food safety affects every family and called for improved water quality, hygiene, processing practices and access to health services. Experts urged the adoption of a “One Health” approach that links human, animal and environmental health to prevent contamination at its source.