This webinar, hosted on the occasion of World Food Safety Day 2026, will present the key findings of the 2026 edition of the WHO estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases, which provides updated and improved assessments of illnesses, deaths, and burden caused by 42 major foodborne hazards.
These estimates include the first-ever national level estimates from 2000 to 2021, and have been produced under the guidance of the WHO Technical Advisory Group, the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), drawing on the latest data, refined methodologies, and consultation processes with countries.
The webinar will highlight methodological advances, and discuss their implications for food safety policy and public health action. It will also explore how countries and stakeholders can use these estimates to support risk-based decision-making, strengthen national food control systems, and advance the prevention of foodborne diseases globally.
The event will also showcase a new dashboard featuring the foodborne disease estimates, providing global and national estimates for 194 countries over a 21-year period (2000–2021) across all 42 hazards (see the full list of hazards here).
Foodborne diseases remain a significant and largely preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting people of all ages and placing a disproportionate burden on vulnerable populations.