Unsafe Food Kills 1.5 Million Yearly, WHO Warns Report

Eating safe and hygienic food is extremely important for good health.

Unsafe food causes an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths every year worldwide, highlighting the often-overlooked burden of contaminated food on health, development and vulnerable economies, according to new data from the World Health Organization.

The findings, released on Wednesday ahead of next week’s World Food Safety Day, show that children under five are particularly vulnerable.

Although they make up only about nine per cent of the global population, they account for nearly one-third of all foodborne diseases, many of which are severe diarrhoeal illnesses that can be fatal.

Exposure to harmful chemicals such as lead and methylmercury through food can also damage developing brains, leading to lifelong neurological and developmental disorders in children.

“Food safety is not an abstract issue—it touches every meal, every family, every day,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Unsafe food has long been a major public health concern, but until now we lacked the full picture of its human and economic toll. These estimates change that.”

The study found that bacteria, viruses and parasites caused most foodborne illnesses—around 860 million cases in 2021. However, chemical contamination accounted for most deaths linked to unsafe food.

According to WHO, chemical hazards were responsible for 73 per cent of deaths from contaminated food in 2021.

Inorganic arsenic and lead were the leading contributors, mainly due to long-term exposure increasing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Together, these substances were linked to more than one million deaths in a single year.

Food can become contaminated through unsafe water, improper handling, or toxins entering the food chain due to environmental pollution and industrial activity. Once substances like arsenic, lead or methylmercury enter the food supply, they are often extremely difficult to remove.

The burden is not shared equally. Africa and Southeast Asia account for nearly three-quarters of all foodborne illnesses and 60 per cent of global deaths. Children and low-income communities face the highest risks, reflecting persistent inequalities in food systems, healthcare access and sanitation.

The impact also extends far beyond health. WHO estimates that foodborne diseases caused around $310 billion in lost productivity in 2021, rising to about $647 billion when adjusted for cost-of-living differences.

“This report is a wake-up call—but also a roadmap,” said WHO technical officer for food safety Yuki Minato, lead author of the study published in The Lancet Global Health.

“The data show that foodborne diseases are not only persistent but are being worsened by climate change, which increases contamination risks, and antimicrobial resistance, which makes infections harder to treat. We cannot tackle these threats alone.”

WHO urged countries to strengthen surveillance, improve food safety systems and enhance cooperation across health, agriculture and environmental sectors. “Delay costs lives,” Minato warned.