Study Puts 2021 Foodborne Illness Death Toll at 1.5 Million Worldwide
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jun 3
Study Puts 2021 Foodborne Illness Death Toll at 1.5 Million Worldwide
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jun 3
Summary
1.5 million people died from foodborne illnesses worldwide in 2021, according to a Lancet study that says contaminated food remains a major cause of severe disease and disability.
Contaminated food can carry parasites, chemicals and microbes including salmonella, E. coli, norovirus and listeria; temperature abuse and poor hygiene let those hazards spread and trigger illnesses from diarrhea to sepsis.
Low- and middle-income countries face higher risks because food safety systems, regulation and access to care are uneven, while children, older adults, pregnant people and immunocompromised patients are especially vulnerable.
Symptoms often clear within two to seven days, but prolonged diarrhea, high fever or blood in stool warrant medical care; prevention centers on safe handling, prompt refrigeration and avoiding high-risk raw foods.
With chemicals causing 73% of foodborne deaths, is our focus on germs dangerously misplaced?
As the WHO releases new data this month, what overlooked contaminants in our food will be exposed?
If better surveillance has a 46x return on investment, why are millions still dying from this crisis?
Unsafe Food Kills 1.5 Million Annually: WHO Report Reveals Global Food Safety Emergency
Overview
The World Health Organization’s latest estimates reveal that unsafe food causes 1.5 million deaths each year, with young children suffering the most. Although they make up only nine percent of the global population, children under five bear nearly one-third of all foodborne diseases. Many of these cases result in severe diarrhoeal illnesses, which can be fatal. These new figures highlight the urgent need for targeted actions and solutions to reduce the global burden of unsafe food, especially for vulnerable groups, and guide countries in making evidence-based decisions to protect public health.