AFRICA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA — Unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually, according to findings from a global assessment published by the World Health Organization. The assessment analyzed 42 major foodborne hazards across 194 countries from 2000 to 2021.

Children under five face approximately three times the risk of illness from unsafe food compared to older children and adults. Young children represent 9% of the global population but account for nearly one third of foodborne disease cases. The African and Southeast Asian regions account for nearly 75% of global foodborne illnesses and 60% of global foodborne deaths.

Chemical hazards accounted for 73% of foodborne deaths in 2021. Inorganic arsenic accounted for 42% of chemical-related foodborne deaths in 2021, and lead accounted for 31%. Inorganic arsenic and lead exposure is associated with more than 1 million deaths per year, and dietary exposure to methylmercury and lead can harm developing brains and cause lifelong neurological problems in children. Exposure to inorganic arsenic and lead increases the risk of heart disease and cancers.

Foodborne diseases caused an estimated US$310 billion in lost productivity in 2021. Adjusting for cost-of-living differences increases the estimated productivity loss from foodborne diseases to US$647 billion in 2021.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of a public health agency, said, "Food safety is not an abstract issue. It touches every meal, every family, every day." The agency recommends preventing contamination through improved agricultural practices, industrial controls, and environmental regulations.

Yuki Minato, a technical officer for food safety, said, "The data show that foodborne diseases are persistent and are being made worse by climate change, which increases contamination risks, and by antimicrobial resistance, which makes infections harder to treat. Countries must act urgently, using these estimates to target interventions."

The global foodborne disease burden has decreased since 2000. The analysis included new hazard categories for metals, rotavirus, and Trypanosoma cruzi. The study excluded antimicrobial resistant bacteria, pesticide residues, and PFAS due to insufficient data.

No independent assessment was available for this report.