Food allergies affect over 220 million people worldwide, underscoring the need for efficient and safe management strategies. Traditionally, allergen labelling has followed a precautionary hazard-based approach, where even the slightest possibility of contamination results in warnings such as “May contain nuts” or “Manufactured in a facility that also processes nuts.”. While intended to protect consumers, this method often leads to unnecessary trade barriers and restricts consumer choice. To address these challenges, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have conducted five joint expert consultations to develop a more precise, risk-based approach. Instead of labelling foods...

The 2025 joint FAO and WHO World Food Safety Day campaign launched today revealing this year's theme: 'Food Safety: science in action.’ Since 2018 FAO and the World Health Organization come together every year to raise awareness about the importance of food safety. This year, the two organizations are focusing on the crucial role that science plays in advancing research and knowledge to keep food safe. But the campaign emphasizes the vital role of all stakeholders—governments, businesses, and consumers—in putting that knowledge into action through effective policies, practices, and responsible choices to safeguard food at every stage. In a joint video message, FAO’s...

In an effort to strengthen its food safety and quality and ensure alignment with international standards, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), launched a comprehensive food control system assessment last week. The initiative kicked off with a five-day training workshop in Dubai, attended by over 50 focal points from the country’s Competent Authorities. The assessment aims to evaluate and improve the UAE’s institutional capacities, governance, and strategic planning to better manage food safety risks. The workshop, led by FAO experts, introduced participants to the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool, an...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is currently hosting an expert meeting on the microbiological risk assessment of Clostridium species in foods at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from February 17 to 21, 2025. This gathering brings together leading scientists and food safety experts to assess the risks of foods associated with Clostridium spp. and develop strategies for improved control measures in the food industry. The genus Clostridium includes several harmful bacteria, such as C. botulinum, C. perfringens, and C. difficile, which are known to cause severe foodborne illnesses. Clostridium botulinum produces potent neurotoxins that can lead...

In January 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has conducted an in-depth assessment mission to review the national capacity to address residues of veterinary drugs in food in Pakistan. Considering the fundamental role of livestock to Pakistan’s economy—contributing 15% to the national GDP and 61% to the agricultural GDP, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24 — ensuring that food safety is maintained through effective residue monitoring is essential for both domestic consumption and export potential. Building on the Assessment Tool for Laboratory and AMR Surveillance Systems (ATLASS), this initiative focuses on reviewing the national veterinary...

At the 25th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa, held in Kampala, Uganda, in January, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) introduced its "Strengthening Food Control and Phytosanitary Capacities and Governance" project. This initiative, funded by the European Union, aims to enhance food safety and plant health systems across the African Union. The session provided a platform for countries involved in the project to share their experiences with the food safety component of the project, based on implementation of the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool. This innovative instrument is designed to conduct comprehensive assessments of national food...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released the report Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: Changes from 2002 to 2024, along with an infographic and a video. The report investigates the change in exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) since risk management practices were put into place in the last decades. The report, commissioned by FAO, narrows down on issues addressed previously in the 2002 report Global Assessment of the State-of-the-Science of Endocrine Disruptors, commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a comprehensive and practical toolbox designed to help those assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in food.  The JECFA Toolbox for Veterinary Drug Residues Risk Assessment describes the process used by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) when assessing the risks of veterinary drug residues in animal-derived food products consumed by humans.    Join us for the launch of the JECFA Toolbox on Thursday, 27 February 2025, 15:00-16:00 CET. We will explain the background behind the development of the toolbox, do a live demonstration and answer your...

FAO hosted a technical seminar on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) for food safety” on 6 November 2024, with over 1000 attendees both online and in-person. The video recording of the event, held in FAO HQ, is now available on FAO YouTube channels. The aim of the event was to explore the current state of AI technology and its potential to play a critical role in the area of food safety, along with its benefits and drawbacks. Organized and chaired by Masami Takeuchi, FAO Food Safety Officer, the seminar took its cue from the literature synthesis that FAO is compiling in collaboration with the...

Building on its continued support for Tunisia’s efforts to strengthen food safety and food control, FAO led a Training Session on Food Safety Governance last week. The training aimed at building capacity among future decision-makers, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to effectively address food safety challenges, both locally and internationally. The training was part of the program of the 9th session of the International Academy of Good Governance designed and implemented under the tripartite collaborative effort between the Tunis National School of Administration (École Nationale d’Administration de Tunis), the Ministry of Health of Tunisia, and...