World Food Safety Day

Background

Food safety saves lives by reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses. A variety of hazards can contaminate food, posing a health risk to individuals. It is estimated that each year, 600 million people (1 in every 10) around the world become ill from consuming contaminated food. As a result, food safety is an indivisible component of food security, which ensures access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for an active and healthy life.

That is why, every June 7th, the United Nations commemorates World Food Safety Day to highlight the importance of safe food for human health and the development of countries.

The Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health of the OPS, the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (CCLAC) chaired by Uruguay, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Regional International Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA), invite you to the regional commemoration of World Food Safety Day to highlight science, through different scientific disciplines, as a fundamental basis for ensuring access to safe food.

Join us on Wednesday, June 11 at 11:00 hours (UTC-4) for the regional webinar to learn about the contribution of new technologies in capacity development, the role of social sciences in strengthening food safety management, and the value of data generated by countries for the development of international guidelines.

In addition, during the meeting, experts and national authorities will reflect on the importance of having data and scientific evidence for decision-making in food safety, as well as on the ways in which this evidence is generated and how it has been translated into concrete actions.