Unsafe and contaminated food is now causing deaths on a scale comparable to Tuberculosis, according to a major new study released by the World Health Organization on June 4, 2026. The report estimates that contaminated food causes nearly 866 million illnesses and approximately 1.52 million deaths worldwide every year, exposing a growing but often overlooked global health crisis. The findings underline how unsafe food has evolved from a sanitation issue into a major international public health emergency affecting both developing and advanced economies.
A Global Crisis Hidden in Everyday Food Systems
The WHO assessment examined data across 194 countries between 2000 and 2021 and analysed 42 different foodborne hazards, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical contaminants. The study found that nearly one in nine people globally suffered from foodborne illnesses in 2021 alone.
Beyond mortality, the impact on public health systems and economies is enormous. Unsafe food was linked to 57.1 million disability-adjusted life years, reflecting years lost due to illness, disability and premature death. Economically, the crisis is estimated to cost the global economy nearly US$310 billion annually through healthcare expenses, productivity losses and long-term disease burdens.
Although foodborne diseases have declined in some regions over the past two decades, the WHO warned that major inequalities in food safety standards and healthcare access continue to place millions at risk.
Children Face the Highest Risk
One of the most alarming findings in the report concerns young children. Despite accounting for only around 9 percent of the global population, children under five represented nearly one-third of all foodborne disease cases.
In 2021 alone, approximately 143,000 children under five died from food-related illnesses, with diarrhoeal diseases emerging as the leading cause of death. Experts warned that exposure to chemical contaminants such as lead and methylmercury can severely affect developing brains, potentially causing lifelong neurological and developmental disorders.
The report stressed that children living in low-resource communities remain particularly vulnerable due to inadequate sanitation, poor food monitoring systems and limited healthcare access.
Chemical Hazards Cause Most Fatalities
A major revelation in the WHO study was the striking difference between biological and chemical hazards. While bacteria, viruses and parasites accounted for the overwhelming majority of illnesses, chemical contaminants caused most of the deaths.
According to the findings, chemical hazards were responsible for nearly 73 percent of all food-related fatalities in 2021. Inorganic arsenic alone accounted for roughly 42 percent of deaths, while lead contributed around 31 percent. Unlike bacterial infections that often cause immediate illness, these toxic substances frequently lead to chronic conditions such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases and neurological damage over time.
Regional Inequalities Deepen the Burden
The report highlighted sharp regional disparities, with Africa and South-East Asia together accounting for nearly three-fourths of all foodborne illness cases and about 60 percent of global deaths. Poor infrastructure, weak food regulation systems and limited awareness continue to worsen the burden in low- and middle-income countries.
Public health experts believe that climate change, industrial pollution and increasingly complex global food supply chains may further intensify risks in the coming years.
Food Safety Now a Major Global Health Priority
The WHO study sends a powerful warning that unsafe food is no longer merely a hygiene concern but a major global health threat with long-term social and economic consequences. Tackling the crisis will require stronger food safety regulations, stricter monitoring of chemical contaminants, better sanitation systems and greater international cooperation. Without urgent reforms, millions more could remain exposed to invisible but deadly threats hidden within everyday food supplies.
(With agency inputs)
