Data from the 2026 edition of foodborne diseases estimates, released by the World Health Organization on the 4th, show that unsafe food leads to about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally every year. The risk of children under five getting sick from unsafe food is about three times higher than that of older children and adults.
The WHO released this report ahead of World Food Safety Day on June 7, in which it assessed 42 major foodborne hazards—including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals—across the globe from 2000 to 2021.
The data shows that although young children make up only 9% of the global population, they account for nearly one-third of all foodborne illness cases worldwide. Chemical hazards that enter food, such as methylmercury and lead, can damage the developing brains of children and cause lifelong neurological and other problems.
The overwhelming majority of foodborne diseases are caused by exposure to biological hazards, including foodborne bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Deaths resulting from exposure to foodborne chemical hazards account for as much as 73% of all deaths; most of these are related to inorganic arsenic and lead, and exposure to these substances increases the risk of heart disease and cancer.
The WHO stated that many cases related to food safety issues can be prevented through measures such as improving drinking water and sanitation, promoting pasteurization, and providing healthcare to vulnerable groups. Although the global burden of foodborne diseases has declined since 2000, significant regional differences remain, with Africa and Southeast Asia bearing the heaviest burden.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that unsafe food has always been a serious public health risk, but the full extent of its consequences has long been underestimated; the latest assessment changes this situation. With this information, governments can prioritize necessary measures to protect public health.