WHO: 866 million foodborne illnesses, 1.5 million deaths

Unsafe food causes an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually worldwide, according to new data from the World Health Organization. The findings, released ahead of World Food Safety Day on June 7, underscore the severe and often overlooked global burden of foodborne disease, with children under five bearing a disproportionate share of the harm.

The analysis, which examined data from 194 countries between 2000 and 2021, found that while overall foodborne illness has declined since 2000, stark regional inequalities persist. Africa and Southeast Asia together account for nearly three-quarters of all cases and 60 percent of global deaths. Children under five, who represent just nine percent of the global population, suffer nearly one-third of all foodborne diseases, often from severe diarrheal illnesses that can prove fatal.

Biological hazards such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites were responsible for the vast majority of illnesses, with about 860 million cases in 2021 alone. However, chemical contamination was linked to the majority of deaths. Inorganic arsenic and lead poisoning were the leading chemical culprits, accounting for over one million deaths in...