On Friday, 6 June 2025, the celebration of World Food Safety Day took centre stage at the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) in Bern, Switzerland. Indeed, in line with the official theme for this year’s World Food Safety Day (WFSD), the event organised by the FSVO was titled: 4th Microbiological Risk Assessment Seminar: A Celebration of Science for Food Safety. This year’s event brought together experts from Federal Institutions as well as representatives from Cantonal authorities and the Academia, to discuss and examine different topics related to microbiological risks. The exchanges focused on known and emerging hazards across various food categories, thereby offering valuable insights into current challenges and new developments in the field.

Noting the World Health Organization estimates of foodborne diseases, which indicate that, each year, 600 million people worldwide become ill due to foodborne diseases as well as the World Bank Report on the economic burden of foodborne diseases, which estimated the annual cost of treating foodborne illnesses at USD 15 billion, the speakers and participants at the seminar stressed the vital role of science in ensuring food safety throughout the entire food supply chain. Indeed, scientific research and risk assessment play a crucial role in identifying microbial or chemical food safety threats and they thereby contribute tremendously to ensuring consumer health protection through informed decision-making.

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World Food Safety Day 2025 events