Unsafe food kills 1.5m people worldwide annually – WHO

According to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO), contaminated food causes an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths every year worldwide. Children under five are particularly vulnerable, accounting for nearly one-third of all foodborne diseases despite being only 9% of the global population. Chemical hazards, including inorganic arsenic and lead, were responsible for 73% of deaths linked to unsafe food in 2021. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasized that food safety is a major public health issue affecting every meal and every family.