A new paper from the World Health Organization says that foodborne illnesses are a worldwide threat to health and that countries must cooperate to address the risks, according to Food Production Daily.
The paper, scheduled to be released at the WHO executive meeting later in January, cites recent problems with melamine and dioxin contamination that became global health threats when affected products were exported from the countries where they were produced.
It also highlights the continued threat of foodborne and waterborne illnesses to health and economic growth, especially in developing countries.
The paper calls for the “systematic mainstreaming of food safety into food systems” and states that the WHO is investing new ways of “ensuring international provision of scientific advice, avoiding the waste of resources caused by repetitive assessments in countries or regions.”
