Thus, cooperative efforts between the US government and international partners are necessary to implement the FSI and improve food safety globally. In addition, the presence of pathogens or other contaminants in foods exported from a developing country can adversely affect development of export-oriented sustainable agriculture. If contaminated exported foods lead to outbreaks of illness or even rumors about such outbreaks among trading partners, it may be difficult for exporting countries to recover their markets. The leadership of WHO is critical to any global approach to food safety. The WHO's challenge is to work with other international organizations to increase the role of science in international food safety policy development.
Food safety is a global and growing public health challenge.
Diverse methods of and standards for growing and processing agricultural products and different frequencies and types of gastrointestinal infections in food workers in different regions increase the possibility of food contamination and the range of pathogens expected. Foodborne diseases are widespread and represent a serious threat to developing and developed countries alike. Globalization means that large amounts of food from a single source may be widely distributed, resulting in possible national, regional, and international foodborne disease outbreaks or chemical contamination episodes. Use this plain text version .