According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year almost 1 in 10 people fall ill after eating contaminated food. That’s roughly 600 million people, of whom 420,000 will die. Even more upsetting, foodborne illness disproportionately harms children: Just 8% of the world’s population is younger than 5 years old, but they account for 40% of foodborne illness-related deaths each year.

In addition to the human toll of foodborne illness comes the economic cost. Low- and middle-income countries lose a total of around $110 billion annually due to medical expenses and reduced productivity associated with foodborne illness. Even in an “advanced” nation the cost is staggering: Foodborne illness costs the U.S. $152 billion each year.

On top of all of that, unsafe and suspect food regularly results in trade rejections and increased food waste, driving waste disposal costs while losing the investment in those foodstuffs. This creates a drag on both individual businesses and economic growth writ large.

It takes global cooperation and awareness to clean up a global supply chain. Each year since 2019, June 7 has been designated World Food Safety Day (WFSD). A joint project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Safety Day aims to promote a fundamental message:

“Food safety is a shared responsibility between governments, producers and consumers. Everybody has a role to play from farm to table to ensure the food we consume is safe and will not cause damages to our health.”

Food Safety: Science in Action

The theme of this year’s World Food Safety Day “Food Safety: Science in Action.” In the words of Dr. Luz Maria De Regil, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, “Science is at the heart of food safety.” To tackle this problem, we have to support further explorations into the underlying mechanisms of foodborne illness, and then apply those findings to how we grow, store, handle, ship, trade, prepare, serve, and consume our food.

Priorclave applauds the researchers, educators, industry quality assurance labs, and R&D departments who have dedicated themselves to doing the day-to-day work necessary to ensure global food safety. The food industry and government have made enormous progress over the last several decades. But there is always room to improve—and Priorclave is eager to help.

We’re pleased to have played even a small part in supporting food safety research and progress. By furnishing reliable equipment that costs less to own and operate, we hope to help labs spend less on their autoclaves, so they can dedicate more time and money to doing their important work. Contact Priorclave whenever you’re ready to find out more about how we can help improve your efficiency.

“Access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health.  … Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems and harming national economies, tourism and trade.”

Learn more about World Food Safety Day.