The theme for this year’s World Food Safety Day campaign has been launched today as "Food safety: prepare for the unexpected".

The campaign this year will explore the different ways in which we can all ensure preparedness for unexpected food safety incidents, which can range from a power outage at home to an international food safety alert or foodborne disease outbreak.

International systems are in place to ensure the fast exchange of information in the event of a food safety alert, and governments speak with the food industry and consumers to ensure everyone along the food chain understands how to respond if unforeseen events affect the safety of the food supply.

Codex has played no small part in the development of international systems to address food safety incidents. The 2004 revisions to the Codex Principles and Guidelines for the Exchange of Information in Food Safety Emergency Situations (CXG 19-1995) included recommendations on rapid international and cross-sectoral information exchange that led to the creation of the FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN). This year’s World Food Safety Day theme acknowledges this 20th anniversary of the INFOSAN network. 

For this year’s celebration, everyone - from policymakers, experts and producers to processors, distributors, retailers, restaurant outlets and consumers -  is encouraged to consider if they are ready for the unexpected and what they can do to better prepare to ensure everyone has access to safe food, even when life becomes unpredictable.

In a joint World Food Safety Day video message, Corinna Hawkes, Codex Secretary ad interim and Director of the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division at FAO, and Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, said:

“Anticipating the kinds of events that might occur, whether it be a natural disaster like flooding, or a volcano eruption or a power outage can ensure the risk to food safety is minimized. And in the home, consumers food safety knowledge can avert problems in unexpected situations. 

This World Food Safety Day, we will raise awareness about what you – no matter your role - can do to be ready for the unexpected.”

Get ready for 7 June! Tell us your plans and send us your news and photos: [email protected]

Read more

World Food Safety Day website
Principles and Guidelines for the Exchange of Information in Food Safety Emergency Situations (CXG 19-1995)
FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN)
at FAO
at WHO

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World Food Safety Day launch video message

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World Food Safety Day 2024 Communication Toolkit
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World Food Safety Day poster

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