Business improvement company BSI today welcomed the first ever World Food Safety Day, an initiative of the United Nations supported by the World Health Organization.

World Food Safety Day raises awareness of the threat of unsafe food to human health and society, and the environmental and economic consequences of food waste. It aims to draw public attention and direct efforts to stop the roughly 600m cases of food-borne illnesses that occur annually.

Every year, one in ten people will fall ill from food-borne illnesses and poor food safety remains a cause of death for millions around the world. In the United Kingdom 79,000 people fall ill each year from salmonella alone – equivalent to the capacity of Old Trafford football stadium. Food is a vital part of the global economy and economically represents 10% of global GDP, with poor food safety leading to millions of dollars of waste every day.

Food safety professionals make up a critical part of the global food supply chain, working to prevent the 400,000 deaths that result annually from food-borne illness. A culture of food safety and quality is a major component of resilience in the agri-food sector, which employs 3.9m workers in the UK and contributes £113bn to the national economy.

David Horlock, Managing Director Global Food at BSI commented: “As we celebrate the first ever World Food Safety Day, it is important to credit those at the frontline that are keeping us safe. By addressing the risks associated with food storage, preparation and handling, food safety professionals save countless lives worldwide every single day. The world deserves food that is safe, sustainable and socially responsible, and that means professional standards being upheld across every link of the global food supply chain.”

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