Despite remarkable developments in the field of food safety in recent decades, the global burden of foodborne diseases is still unacceptably high. An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food every year, and 420 000 of them die. Safe food is critical not only to better health and food security but also for livelihoods, economic development, trade and the international reputation of every country.