WHO: Contaminated Food Causes 1.5 Million Deaths Annually

3 June 2026 Health injury

Although children under five years old make up only 9 percent of the world’s population, they account for almost one-third of all cases of foodborne diseases. Diarrheal diseases are especially dangerous, as they can lead to fatal outcomes. Furthermore, exposure to chemicals found in food, such as methylmercury and lead, can disrupt brain development and cause lifelong neurological and cognitive impairments.

According to WHO estimates, unsafe food causes about 866 million cases of illness and 1.5 million deaths annually. Many of these could have been prevented through improved access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, adherence to food safety standards including pasteurization, as well as ensuring medical care for the most vulnerable population groups.

Bacteria and chemical substances

Most diseases are associated with biological factors—bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which in 2021 caused approximately 860 million cases of illness. However, the largest share of deaths is attributed to chemical pollutants.

VOZ notes that for the first time it has been possible to assess the burden of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and intellectual development disorders associated with the entry of heavy metals into the body through food. According to expert assessments, exposure to inorganic arsenic and lead is linked to more than one million deaths annually.

According to WHO data, in 2021 chemical substances were the cause of 73 percent of all deaths associated with contaminated food products. Most of these cases were due to exposure to inorganic arsenic (42 percent) and lead (31 percent). These substances, in particular, increase the risk of cardiovascular and oncological diseases.

Economic losses

In addition to the direct harm to health, unsafe products cause significant economic damage. According to a study, in 2021 foodborne illnesses led to a loss of labor productivity amounting to about 310 billion dollars. After adjusting for differences in life value between countries, this amount rises to 647 billion dollars.

“Food safety is not an abstract problem. It concerns every food intake of every family every day. Unsafe food has always been a serious threat to public health, but until now we have not fully realized the scale of its human and economic consequences,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

According to him, the new assessments will for the first time allow countries to see their own data and determine where the impact of the problem is greatest.

Inequality and climate change

The WHO notes that changes in eating habits, environmental factors, globalization, and inequality continue to influence risk levels. The greatest burden is borne by children and residents of poor communities, especially in countries with low and middle income levels. Although since 2000 the overall burden of foodborne illnesses has decreased, significant regional differences remain. Almost three-quarters of all cases of foodborne illnesses and about 60 percent of related deaths occur in Africa and Southeast Asia.

“This report is a ‘warning signal’, but at the same time a roadmap for action,” emphasized WHO food safety specialist Yuki Minato. According to her, the situation is aggravated by climate change, which increases the risk of product contamination, andMicroorganism resistance to antimicrobial drugs, due to which the infection becomes more difficult to treat.

Inorganic arsenic, lead, and methylmercury enter the environment both through natural means and as a result of human activity. Once they enter the food chain, these substances are generally almost impossible to remove, which creates long-term health risks for the population.

VOZ calls on governments to prevent product contamination at the earliest stages—through the improvement of agricultural practices, strengthening environmental regulation, and control of industrial emissions.