UNITED NATIONS - Unsafe food leads to an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The findings, released ahead of World Food Safety Day, underscore the severe impact of contaminated food on health, development, and fragile economies.
Children at Greatest Risk
The study reveals that children under five are particularly vulnerable. Although they represent only nine percent of the world's population, they account for nearly one-third of all foodborne diseases. Many of these are severe diarrhoeal illnesses that can be fatal. Exposure to chemicals like lead and methylmercury through food can also damage developing brains, causing lifelong neurological and developmental issues.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the significance of the data: "Food safety is not an abstract issue – it touches every meal, every family, every day. Unsafe food has always been a major public health concern, but until now we lacked the bigger picture of its staggering human and economic toll. These new estimates change that."
Chemical Contamination Deadliest
The study found that foodborne bacteria, viruses, and parasites caused most illnesses – about 860 million cases in 2021. However, chemical contamination was responsible for the majority of deaths. In 2021, chemical hazards accounted for 73 percent of deaths linked to unsafe food. Inorganic arsenic and lead were the leading contributors, as prolonged exposure increases the risk of heart disease and cancers. Together, these two substances were linked to more than one million deaths in a single year.
Food becomes contaminated through unsafe water, improper handling, or toxins entering the food chain via environmental pollution and industrial activities. Once chemicals like arsenic, lead, or methylmercury enter the food supply, they are often difficult or impossible to remove.
Unequal Burden
The burden of foodborne diseases is not shared equally. WHO reports that Africa and Southeast Asia account for nearly three-quarters of all foodborne illnesses and 60 percent of global deaths. Children and people in low-resource communities face the greatest risks, reflecting persistent inequalities in food systems, healthcare access, and sanitation.
The economic impact is also staggering. WHO estimates that foodborne diseases resulted in around $310 billion in lost productivity in 2021 due to time away from work. Adjusted for cost-of-living differences between countries, the economic losses rise to an estimated $647 billion.
Call to Action
Yuki Minato, a WHO technical officer for food safety and senior author of the study published in The Lancet Global Health, described the report as "a wake-up call – but also a roadmap." She noted that foodborne diseases are persistent and worsening due to climate change, which increases contamination risks, and antimicrobial resistance, which makes infections harder to treat. "We cannot tackle these threats alone," she said.
WHO urges countries to target interventions, strengthen surveillance, and improve cooperation across health, agriculture, and environmental sectors. "Delay costs lives," Minato warned.
