ABOUT UNFSO
The UNITED NATIONS FOOD SECURITY ORGANIZATION ( UNFSO )
Is an international private organization established in France that leads international efforts to end hunger.
Our goal is to ensure food security for all and to ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives.with several members from different countries and the european Union .
UNFSO works around the world .
JOIN US IN CREATING A WORLD WITHOUT HUNGER OR POVERTY
key Facts
- Food safety nutrition and food security are inextricably linked.
-An estimated 600 million almost 1 in 10 people in the world fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420000 die every year , resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years (DALYs).
-110 billion dollars is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low-and middle income countries .
- Children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden , with 125000 deaths every year.
- Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems and harming national economies, tourism and trade.
UNFSO OBJECTIVE
UNFSO aims to strengthen national food control systems to facilitate the prevention, detection and global response to public health threats associated with unsafe food.
To this end ?
UNFSO supports Member States by :
- Providing independent scientific assessments of microbiological and chemical hazards.
- Assessing the safety of new technologies used in food production.
- Helping to implement an adequate infrastructure to manage food security risks and respond to food security emergencies through the international network of food security authorities.
UNFSO aims to :
- Promote safe food handling through systematic disease prevention and awareness programs.
- Advocate for food security as an important element of food security and integration of food secutity into national policies and programmes in accordance with the international Health Regulations.
Access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health. Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances causes more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers. It also creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. Good collaboration between governments, producers and consumers is needed to help ensure food safety and stronger food systems.
Foodborne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic in nature and caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food. Chemical contamination can lead to acute poisoning or long-term diseases, such as cancer. Many foodborne diseases may lead to long-lasting disability and death. Some examples of food hazards are listed below
Governments should make food safety a public health priority, as they play a pivotal role in developing policies and regulatory frameworks and establishing and implementing effective food safety systems. Food handlers and consumers need to understand how to safely handle food and practicing the UNFSO Five keys to safer food at home, or when selling at restaurants or at local markets. Food producers can safely grow fruits and vegetables using the UNFSO Five keys to growing safer fruits and vegetables.