Unsafe Food Causes 866 Million Illnesses and 1.5 Million Deaths Annually
Unsafe food causes an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths every year worldwide, with young children facing the greatest risk, according to new estimates released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The report reveals that children under the age of five are nearly three times more likely to fall ill from contaminated food than older children and adults. Although they make up only 9 percent of the global population, young children account for almost one-third of all foodborne disease cases, particularly diarrhoeal illnesses that can be fatal for this vulnerable age group.
WHO said exposure to chemical contaminants in food, including lead and methylmercury, poses additional risks to children by affecting brain development and causing lifelong neurological and developmental disorders.
Despite progress in reducing the overall burden of foodborne diseases since 2000, significant regional disparities remain. Africa and South-East Asia continue to bear the heaviest burden, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all foodborne illnesses and 60 percent of related deaths globally.
According to the new estimates, biological hazards such as bacteria, viruses and parasites caused the vast majority of foodborne illnesses in 2021, resulting in approximately 860 million cases. However, chemical contaminants were responsible for a disproportionate share of fatalities, accounting for 73 percent of all deaths linked to contaminated food.
Most chemical-related deaths were associated with exposure to inorganic arsenic and lead, which increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. WHO estimates that inorganic arsenic contributed to 42 percent of these deaths, while lead accounted for 31 percent.
Beyond the health consequences, unsafe food also imposes a substantial economic burden. The study estimates that foodborne diseases resulted in approximately US$310 billion in lost productivity in 2021 due to illness-related absences from work. When adjusted for differences in the cost of living across countries, the economic losses rise to an estimated US$647 billion.
“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,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“For the first time, countries have their own data to see where the burden is highest. With that knowledge, governments can prioritize the actions needed to protect people’s health,” he added.
The new WHO analysis significantly broadens previous assessments by examining 42 major foodborne hazards, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemicals, across 194 countries between 2000 and 2021. The study also incorporates newly assessed hazards such as metals, rotavirus and Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible for Chagas disease.
WHO noted that chemicals such as inorganic arsenic, lead and methylmercury can enter the food chain through both natural processes and human activities. Once contamination occurs, these substances are often difficult or impossible to remove.
As a result, the organization is urging governments to focus on prevention by strengthening agricultural practices, enforcing stricter industrial controls and implementing stronger environmental regulations to reduce contamination at its source.
While levels of some metals in food have declined over time, the report highlights for the first time the extent to which dietary exposure contributes to cardiovascular diseases, cancers and intellectual disabilities. Inorganic arsenic and lead alone were linked to more than one million deaths in a single year.
The report also points to growing challenges posed by climate change, globalization, environmental pressures and inequalities in food systems, all of which influence exposure to unsafe food. People living in low-resource settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, continue to face the highest risks.
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