The World Health Organization (WHO) Food Safety Strategy 2030 provides a comprehensive global framework to significantly reduce the burden of foodborne diseases (FBDs). This strategy acknowledges that unsafe food causes an estimated 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually worldwide, disproportionately affecting children under five and vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries. Its core objective is to strengthen national and international food safety systems through collaborative, evidence-based actions.
The strategy is structured around five interconnected strategic priorities:
- Strengthening National Food Control Systems: This priority focuses on assisting Member States in building robust, science-based food control infrastructures. Key actions include supporting the development and modernization of food safety legislation aligned with international standards (Codex Alimentarius), enhancing inspection and compliance programs, building laboratory testing capabilities, and promoting effective foodborne disease surveillance. Capacity building for food safety authorities is a central component.
- Providing Scientific Evidence and Risk Assessment: The WHO commits to generating and disseminating independent, authoritative scientific advice. This includes conducting robust risk assessments of chemical and microbiological hazards in food, developing risk management recommendations for governments and Codex, and establishing food safety benchmarks to measure progress. Strengthening global and regional laboratory networks for pathogen detection and monitoring is integral.
- Enhancing Risk Communication and Consumer Engagement: Recognizing the critical role of communication, this priority aims to improve the exchange of timely, transparent, and actionable food safety information among all stakeholders. Activities include developing guidance for effective risk communication during incidents, promoting food safety education for consumers and food handlers, and fostering multi-stakeholder dialogue.
- Promoting Food Safety in Sustainable Development: The strategy explicitly links food safety with broader sustainable development goals. It advocates for integrating food safety measures into agricultural production, processing, and trade practices to ensure safety throughout the food chain. This includes promoting good agricultural practices (GAPs), good manufacturing practices (GMPs), and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems, particularly in small-scale and informal settings.
- Supporting Food Safety in Trade and Strengthening International Cooperation: To facilitate safe international food trade and manage cross-border incidents, the strategy emphasizes enhancing collaboration between national food safety authorities, international organizations (like FAO, WOAH, WTO), and standard-setting bodies (Codex Alimentarius, IPPC). Key actions include supporting developing countries’ participation in Codex, promoting regulatory convergence, and strengthening food safety emergency response networks like INFOSAN.
Implementation relies on mobilizing resources, fostering multi-sectoral collaboration (One Health approach), leveraging technological innovations, and establishing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress towards the strategy’s targets, such as supporting 100 countries in implementing effective food control measures by 2030. The strategy underscores the need for sustained political commitment and increased investment in food safety infrastructure globally.
