World Food Safety Day 2025 – June 7

This year’s theme highlights the crucial role of science in ensuring food safety, preventing foodborne diseases, and building trust in food systems.

Why celebrate World Food Safety Day?

Established by the United Nations in 2018, this day aims to raise global awareness about the importance of food safety and emphasize scientific cooperation to ensure healthy and safe food for everyone.

Importance of Food Safety

Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemicals can cause over 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhea to cancer.

According to WHO:

• Around 600 million people get sick each year from contaminated food.

• 420,000 die annually, mostly children under five.

The Role of Science in Food Safety

Science helps understand contamination and develop prevention strategies through:

• Microbiological risk assessments

• Toxicological analyses

• Predictive models

Example: Australia and New Zealand use scientific standards to regulate food, including genetically modified bananas and improved infant formula standards.

Future Challenges to Food Safety

Climate Change: Alters disease patterns, spreads bacteria like Salmonella, and increases toxins from fungi.

Global Trade Expansion: Cross-border food movement spreads contaminants, complicating tracking and control.

New Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance: Increased human-animal interaction and overuse of antibiotics in agriculture promote resistant microbes.

Innovative Foods and Resource Recycling: New technologies (3D food printing, vertical farming) and recycled resources pose new safety challenges.

How to Participate in World Food Safety Day?

• Use educational materials and communication tools (posters, brochures) available in multiple languages.

• Organize workshops, seminars, contests, and awareness exhibitions.

• Share awareness messages on social media with hashtag #WorldFoodSafetyDay.

Personal Protection Tips Against Foodborne Illnesses

• Hygiene: Wash hands, surfaces, and utensils frequently.

• Separation: Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods.

• Cooking: Cook food thoroughly to kill harmful microbes.

• Refrigeration: Store perishables at safe temperatures.

While individuals can follow these tips, addressing global food safety challenges requires coordinated government and international efforts to prevent foodborne outbreaks and protect public health worldwide.