Food safety is everyone’s business, and to underline this fact, new information leaflets have been released in advance of this year’s World Food Safety Day.

The leaflets examine five settings where food is sold or consumed: workplaces, traditional food markets, street food vending, schools and daycare centres and the home. Each leaflet explains why food safety is important in that environment and then explains easy ways for authorities, producers and consumers to keep food safe. They all end with an idea on how to celebrate World Food Safety Day.

The Five Keys to Safer Food developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) are highlighted as an easy reference tool for people preparing food at home, with reminders that safe food means that people get the nutrients they need to develop and stay well. At work, there is a responsibility for management to ensure staff can access safe food storage for packed lunches or safely prepared food in work canteens. At the same time, good hand hygiene on the part of employees will keep sick days to a minimum and reduce sickness-related losses.

In schools, teachers need to ensure food is safe and teach good practices to youngsters and in food markets and street stalls, there is an onus on local authorities to make adequate food safety facilities available, and on vendors and shoppers to follow good practices.

These information leaflets are available in all six UN languages.

Access the factsheets

Food safety is everyone’s business in traditional food markets

Food safety is everyone’s business in schools and daycare centres

Food safety is everyone’s business at home

Food safety is everyone’s business in street food vending

Food safety is everyone’s business in workplaces

Read more

-        on the WHO Five Keys to Safer Food