Global Warning on Food Safety: Serious Threat to Children’s Health and the Urgent Need to Strengthen HSE Systems in the Food Supply Chain

In its latest report, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that unsafe food causes approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year. According to the report, children under five years of age are the most vulnerable group, facing nearly three times the risk of foodborne illness compared to older children and adults. These findings once again underscore the critical importance of strengthening Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards across food production, distribution, and consumption systems.

Based on new WHO estimates released in June 2026, although children under five account for only about 9% of the global population, they suffer nearly one-third of all foodborne disease cases worldwide. A significant proportion of these illnesses involve diarrheal and gastrointestinal infections, which can be fatal for young children.

Health experts emphasize that in addition to biological hazards such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, chemical contaminants in food pose a serious threat to human health. Substances such as lead, inorganic arsenic, and methylmercury, which may enter the food chain through natural sources or industrial activities, are particularly harmful to children. Exposure can result in brain development damage, neurological disorders, and lifelong developmental impairments.

Global data indicate that in 2021 alone, more than 860 million cases of illness were linked to biological foodborne hazards. While microbial contamination accounts for the majority of illness cases, chemical exposures are responsible for a disproportionate share of deaths. According to WHO, approximately 73% of deaths related to contaminated food were attributed to chemical hazards, with inorganic arsenic accounting for 42% and lead for 31% of these fatalities. These substances significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and various forms of cancer.

The economic consequences are equally substantial. Foodborne diseases resulted in an estimated US 310billioninlostproductivityworldwidein2021∗∗.Whenadjustedfordifferencesincostoflivingacrosscountries,thisfigurerisestoapproximately∗∗US 647 billion. These losses stem primarily from work absenteeism, reduced workforce capacity, and increased healthcare expenditures.

Implications for HSE and the Food Industry

HSE specialists stress that these findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen integrated HSE management systems throughout the entire food supply chain—from agricultural production and processing to transportation, storage, and retail distribution.

The implementation of internationally recognized standards such as ISO 22000, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), and comprehensive Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) plays a vital role in minimizing contamination risks and preventing foodborne illnesses.

Regional Disparities and Equity Concerns

The WHO analysis shows that the African and South-East Asian regions bear the greatest burden of foodborne diseases, collectively accounting for nearly 75% of global illness cases and 60% of related deaths. Factors such as climate change, environmental pressures, globalization of food supply chains, and unequal access to sanitation and healthcare infrastructure continue to exacerbate the crisis.

A Call to Policymakers and Regulatory Authorities

WHO emphasizes that the availability of updated national-level data enables governments to: Prioritize food safety policies more effectively Strengthen surveillance and monitoring systems Enhance cross-sector collaboration between health, agriculture, and environmental authorities Allocate resources strategically based on risk assessment

The report was released ahead of World Food Safety Day (7 June 2026), observed this year under the theme: “From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere.”

The updated estimates and interactive data tools provide a strong evidence base to support targeted actions aimed at reducing the global burden of unsafe food and advancing food safety as a public health priority.