On Saturday 7th June 2025, the world marked World Food Safety Day. This special day highlighted the critical importance of safe food and to encourage action at all levels of the food chain. Established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), this international day reminds us that food safety concerns everyone.
Millions of people fall ill each year due to unsafe food. Foodborne diseases affect individuals of all ages, particularly children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Beyond the health burden, unsafe food threatens economies, agriculture, trade and sustainable development.
World Food Safety Day is an important way of :
- Making people aware of food safety issues;
- Demonstrating how to prevent illness through food safety;
- Discussing collaborative approaches to improved food safety across sectors;
- Promoting solutions and ways of being more food safe.
This year’s theme emphasised the pivotal role of science by ensuring the safety of our food supply. From microbiology and toxicology to food technology and risk analysis, science provides the necessary tools and knowledge to detect and control contaminants, understand how foodborne pathogens spread, develop policies based on risk assessments, innovate safer food production, improve packaging and transport, build early-warning systems and traceability solutions.
Food safety is a shared responsibility. Governments must implement and enforce food safety regulations based on scientific evidence. Farmers and producers need to use good agricultural and hygienic practices. Food industries must apply food safety management systems such as HACCP which stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. Finally, consumers can contribute by storing, cooking and handling food at home. All of these elements show that everyone has a role to play in the food chain.
Sciences continues to evolve, bringing with it new ways to reduce food risks and protect global health. This year, throughout World Food Safety Day proved that science plays a vital role in the food we eat. This is why it’s important to ensure that safe food is available for all, everywhere.
For more information, please check out this document!
Source: https://iuns.org/2025/06/world-food-saf ... in-action/
