An emerging foodborne hazard has been detected in several countries in Southeast Asia, prompting FAO to publish a risk profile document. As only little is known and the list of uncertainties and identified data gaps is extensive, a proper risk assessment is not yet possible without sufficient and validated data-sets.  It started in 2015, when at least 146 people got sick by eating raw freshwater fish in Singapore. Some experienced severe consequences, as some had to lose their arms and legs. The illness was later linked to a bacterium called Streptococcus agalactiae, also referred to as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and...

Institutions, organizations and individuals all over the globe held initiatives for World Food Safety Day yesterday (7 June) and on different days in June. To see write-ups and photos, please visit www.fao.org/world-food-safety-day. A report is under preparation. To submit news and photos, please contact: [email protected] Read about the event that FAO, WHO and Codex hosted here on the World Food Safety Day site  and on the FAO site  The 2021 campaign assets will continue to be available here and on the Trello board. Thank you for your participation in and promotion of #WorldFoodSafetyDay

As the world celebrates World Food Safety Day, the Joint FAO/WHO Scientific Advice Programme is publishing Microbiological Risk Assessment Guidance for Food. In line with the slogan for the day, 'Food safety is everyone’s business', this guidance, developed with experts in the field, is intended for use by all those with a role in microbiological food safety – by governments and competent authorities to develop the assessments that underpin policy and decision making, by academia as a reference and teaching materials, and by the private sector for improving food safety management systems. Microbiological hazards include dangerous bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses such as Salmonella, E. coli, Aspergillus, Cyclospora and norovirus. When food is...

There are various elements connected to food safety and it can be challenging to group them together under the food safety umbrella. In fact, keeping up the pace with the contemporary reality can be challenging, and more and more areas related to food safety emerge: it could be challenging to recognize and trace the links. In June 2021, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific published a booklet entitled “Layman’s guide to food safety in Asia and the Pacific – Introduction to the food safety toolkit”. The booklet provides a small and unconventional handbook that introduces various food safety...

Safe food is vital for the health of people, animals, economies – and our future. When food is safe, it contributes to food security, good health and wellbeing, reduces loss and waste and increases market access and decent work opportunities. This will be the focus of the World Food Safety Day virtual event taking place on 7 June, which has as its theme: “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow.” The online discussion, which is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat, will start...

Food allergies are a significant public health concern. With no cure, consumers must avoid the foods to which they are allergic by making informed food choices that include diligently reading food packaging labels and asking questions when making menu selections.    The list of 8 major foods and ingredients (cereals containing gluten, crustacea, egg, fish, peanut and soybeans, milk, tree nuts) known to cause...

Indicators are a tool to demonstrate progress and results achieved in various topics and disciplines. Food security indicators and global nutrition index are good examples, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have specific indicators to monitor progress. When it comes to food safety, it can be difficult to define quantifiable parameters that describe food safety, which instead is cross-cutting and often qualitative. Standardized sets of specific indicators may not be helpful to reflect the complex food safety situations in the different national contexts. In April 2021, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific published a booklet entitled “

Having comparable levels of capacities across countries to ensure food safety can be a challenge. While implementing food safety measures reduces the toll foodborne diseases can take on human health, trade and productivity, interventions are less effective when the limited capacities of one country affect the more advanced capacities of another. FAO established a series of multi-year projects, funded by the government of Japan, aimed at enhancing capacities to develop and implement international food safety standards in countries that are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The project led to results that have contributed to improving consumer health...

Smallholder animal production has vital economic, practical and social value, and it is often linked with traditional and cultural practices. However, in addition to zoonotic risks, farming and slaughter practices may have a negative impact on food safety, the environment and biosecurity. Following simple measures can help ensure hygiene and safety. In April 2021, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific published a booklet entitled “Backyard farming and slaughtering – Keeping tradition safe”. This concise resource summarizes how the production of animal-derived food is linked to food safety and it outlines possible measures to mitigate the risks...

Addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can be a challenge from a legislative perspective: AMR is often defined as the quintessential food safety issue because it involves food, humans, animals and the environment. It would be time-consuming and confusing to create new legislation that addresses an issue covering so many different areas. Instead, legislation that already exists can be revised by looking at it through new lenses to help slow down the spread of AMR. In April 2021, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific published a booklet entitled “Slowing down superbugs – Legislation and antimicrobial resistance”. This concise resource outlines how existing legislation that is relevant to the problem can be adapted, rather than creating ad hoc legislation on...