Nairobi: Children under the age of five face nearly three times the risk of illness from unsafe food compared to older children and adults, according to new estimates released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to Kenya News Agency, although young children make up only 9 percent of the global population, they account for almost one-third of all foodborne disease cases. These cases often involve diarrheal illnesses, which can be fatal. Additionally, WHO warns that exposure to chemical contaminants such as lead and methylmercury can have severe consequences on children’s developing brains, potentially leading to lifelong neurological and developmental problems.
The new estimates reveal that unsafe food is responsible for approximately 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually worldwide. WHO noted that many of these cases could be prevented through improved water, sanitation, and hygiene; safer food handling practices; and better access to healthcare. Despite a decline in the overall burden of foodborne diseases since 2000, significant regional disparities persist, with Africa and South-East Asia experiencing the highest number of illnesses and deaths linked to contaminated food.
The report indicates that biological hazards, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, caused about 860 million foodborne illnesses in 2021. However, chemical contaminants were responsible for 73 percent of food-related deaths, with inorganic arsenic and lead accounting for most fatalities due to their links to cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Beyond the health impacts, foodborne diseases resulted in an estimated US$310 billion in lost productivity in 2021. When adjusted for differences in living costs between countries, the figure rises to US$647 billion. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the findings provide countries with critical data to identify where the burden is greatest and prioritize interventions to protect public health.
The analysis assessed 42 major foodborne hazards across 194 countries between 2000 and 2021, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals. It also considered new hazards such as metals, rotavirus, and Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite causing Chagas disease. The report highlights the growing threat posed by chemical contamination in food, urging governments to strengthen environmental regulations, improve agricultural practices, and tighten industrial controls to prevent pollutants from entering the food chain.
WHO Technical Officer for Food Safety Yuki Minato described the findings as a wake-up call, warning that climate change and antimicrobial resistance are increasing food safety risks. He called for a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, plant, and environmental health to reduce the burden of foodborne diseases.
The report found that children and populations in low-resource settings remain the most vulnerable, with Africa and Southeast Asia accounting for nearly three-quarters of all foodborne illnesses and 60 percent of related deaths globally. National-level data covering the years 2000 to 2021 helps governments to focus their policies and actions towards areas with the greatest burden, and the estimates are intended to support national risk ranking, enabling governments to compare food safety threats, prioritize interventions, strengthen multisectoral collaboration, and allocate resources more effectively.
WHO is releasing the updated foodborne disease estimates ahead of World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2026. This year’s theme is ‘From burden to solutions-safe food everywhere.’
