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Food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxic chemicals is a growing health hazard and a crippling economic burden, said a global conference on food security.
The two-day forum brings together health officials and experts from 125 countries to combat the danger posed by unhealthy food, a danger that kills more than 400,000 people each year, according to UN estimates.
"Today, the world is producing enough food for everyone," said José Graziano Da Silva, Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Monday. ).
But much of this food "is not safe," he added.
"We estimate that every year, nearly one in ten people become ill after consuming contaminated food," said Kazuaki Miyagishima, who heads the Food Safety Department of the World Health Organization ( WHO).
According to UN estimates, about 420,000 of the 600 million people who fall ill from unhealthy food are dying.
It is children under five who suffer the most, that is 40% of patients.
According to the WHO, contaminated food is responsible for more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhea to cancer – and the economic impact is huge but often overlooked.
FAO estimates that the cost for low- and middle-income countries would be around $ 95 billion a year.
The conference, which will involve ministers and deputy ministers from some 20 countries, should call for better coordination and support.
"Africa has a major interest in this area," said Miyagishima, adding that the continent, followed by Southeast Asia, is the most affected by contaminated food.
Global approach
Miyagishima said that a multi-pronged approach was needed.
This includes stricter laws, improved training and equipment and strengthening of health systems to detect potential risks and exchange information countries, he said.
The risks are very diverse, ranging from bacteria such as salmonella or listeria to chemicals such as carcinogenic heavy metals and organic pollutants.
For countries facing drought or famine, the challenge is to prevent the population from using water contaminated with cholera or to eat food that is unfit for consumption.
Miyagishima warned countries that were striving to better meet international standards and to export certain food products to "find themselves in a situation where exported products would be of better quality than products destined for the local market".
In Europe, Miyagishima stressed the need for a faster exchange of information between health authorities, recalling the contamination of eggs in 2017 in the Netherlands, which has been distributed in many countries.
The conference is taking place at a time of growing controversy regarding the use of chemicals in agriculture, including the controversial Roundup weed killer.
"Regulatory decisions, international or national, should be based on sound scientific basis," he said.
In December, the UN announced the creation of a World Food Security Day on June 7.
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