Around 866 million illnesses worldwide in 2021 were due to foodborne infections, with young children at high risk, according to a June 3 peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet Global Health.
The study, funded by the World Health Organization (WHO), investigated foodborne disease burden in 2021 caused by 42 infectious and chemical hazards at the national, subregional, regional, and global levels.
“In 2021, 2.56 billion illnesses were estimated to have been caused by the 42 hazards in this study.” Out of these, 866 million “were attributed to foodborne transmission,” the study said.
Roughly 666 million of the foodborne illnesses were caused by hazards or risks that cause diarrhea, with invasive enteric and parasitic disease risks responsible for an additional 194 million illnesses. Enteric diseases refer to gastrointestinal tract infections caused by pathogens. More than six million illnesses were attributed to chemical foodborne dangers.
As for deaths, the 42 foodborne hazards, both infectious and chemical, were estimated to have resulted in 1.52 million deaths in 2021. Chemical hazards alone caused 1.12 million deaths, or roughly 73 percent of total deaths. Inorganic arsenic was responsible for 42 percent of all deaths due to contaminated food, with lead accounting for 31 percent.
Children were found to be especially affected by foodborne illnesses. Among children younger than five, the incidence of foodborne illness was 2.7 times higher than among those aged five years and older. The DALY rate among this group was 4.3 times higher.
Among children younger than five, the highest foodborne disease burden rates were due to methylmercury, rotavirus, and non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica bacteria.
In contrast, among those aged five or older, the highest disease burden was due to lead, inorganic arsenic, and non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica.
The infectious and chemical foodborne hazards led to a global productivity loss of $310 billion in 2021, the study said.
In a June 4 statement, the WHO raised concerns about foodborne illnesses affecting children, highlighting that exposure to chemical hazards such as lead and methylmercury can harm brain development in kids, resulting in lifelong developmental issues.
“Food safety is not an abstract issue—it touches every meal, every family, every day. Unsafe food has always been a major public health concern, but until now, we lacked the bigger picture of its staggering human and economic toll. These new estimates change that,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general.
“For the first time, countries have their own data to see where the burden is highest. With that knowledge, governments can prioritize the actions needed to protect people’s health.”
Multiple authors declared conflicts of interest, including receiving grants and contracts from various entities.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people get sick each year from foodborne illness, the agency said in a Nov. 24 report. Out of these impacted, an estimated 128,000 individuals are hospitalized, and 3,000 die.
US Food Safety
A February 2025 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlighted issues with the United States’ handling of foodborne illnesses.In total, 15 federal agencies administer laws governing the safety and quality of the country’s food supply, the report said. These agencies include the CDC, Food and Drug Administration, and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
“We have long reported that the fragmented nature of the federal food safety oversight system causes inconsistent oversight, ineffective coordination, and inefficient use of resources,” GAO said.
“CDC, FDA, and FSIS have taken some steps to develop agency-specific and joint goals related to reducing foodborne illness. However, the most recently available data show that FDA and FSIS have not met their goals to reduce foodborne illness.”
GAO suggested that a national strategy is needed to guide federal efforts to improve the food safety oversight system.
In April, a group of lawmakers introduced the Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act of 2026, aimed at ensuring that Americans are protected from contaminated food and the illnesses it causes, according to an April 23 statement from the office of Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.).
The legislation grants the FDA the authority to share relevant information with local and state regulatory agencies. These agencies conduct most of the FDA’s food processing inspections. At present, the FDA is not authorized to share information, the statement said.
“For too long, bureaucratic walls have slowed down real-time cooperation on food safety,” Rep. Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) said.
“This bill is a practical reform that cuts red tape, enables faster responses to threats, and delivers stronger protections for Ohio families and families across the country without adding new mandates or spending.”