| The Professional Board for Dietetics and Nutrition invites practitioners to celebrate World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2025. This year’s event draws attention to the use of scientific knowledge as key to reducing illness, cutting costs and saving lives.
According to the World Health Organization (2024), almost 10% of the world’s population, around 600 million people, fall ill due to a foodborne disease each year and about 420 000 die every year. It is especially concerning that 40% of foodborne illnesses occur in children under five years of age and that 125 000 of them die due to foodborne diseases annually. There is also a sharp rise in foodborne diseases in South Africa. For example, from October 2023 to February 2024, there were 1 399 reported cases of foodborne diseases with 61% of these cases reported in Gauteng (Moeti & Weir-Smith, 2024). It is clear that this is an enormous problem, especially if one takes into account that it is usually only the more serious foodborne disease outbreaks that are reported (Gordon-Davis, 2023).
What is a foodborne disease?
In the broader sense, the term foodborne disease includes all diseases are caused by food that is contaminated, either during the production, storing or handling process. It can be caused by environmental contaminants, such as bacteria and other pollutants present in water, air or soil. In addition, when food is handled by a person that does not meet the required safety standards, or when food is not produced and stored at the correct temperatures and time, bacteria can grow resulting in a foodborne illness. Food poisoning is a type of foodborne disease and can typically cause acute gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. This often happens due to consuming food contaminated by harmful toxins or bacteria in the food (Human Sciences Research Council, 2025).
The National Government has the following functions to regulate food safety:
- Administer food legislation;
- Inform, educate and communicate to all stakeholders;
- Audit institutions and give support where it is required;
- Evaluate risk assessments done by institutions;
- Co-ordinate routine and specific food monitoring programmes;
- Attend to food safety alerts;
- Act as South Africa’s contact point with international organizations;
- Convene or serve on national and international bodies that deal with food control matters (National Department of Health, n.d.).
Food safety and quality in South Africa is regulated mainly by:
- The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF);
- The National Department of Health;
- The Department of Trade and Industry.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries regulates safety and quality of agriculture and animal products in terms of several acts of parliament, including the Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990) and the Meat Safety Act, 2000 (Act No.40 of 2000). The National Department of Health is responsible for the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectant Act, 1972 (FCD Act) that includes regulations on the safety of food, the manufacture, labelling, sale and importation of food. In addition, they are responsible for the hygiene of food via the National Health Act, 2003, and the International Health Regulations Act, 1974. The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Trade and Industry and controls products such as canned meat and frozen and canned fishery products through the Standards Act, 1993. Food legislation is based on the presumption of safety (World Health Organization, 2024).
While protection from foodborne illness can not only be regulated by the Government; in the end, each individual plays a role, especially food handlers and managers and owners in the tourism and hospitality industry. Consumers also personally need to take responsibility to make sure that they are knowledgeable about food hygiene and safety and use their knowledge when buying ingredients, handle, prepare and store food, or eat out.
There are not many factors related to food handling that cause most of the foodborne disease. If those factors can be controlled, it could reduce the number of incidences to a large extent. These factors include the preparation of food a long time in advance, cross contamination, people with poor personal hygiene, as well as incorrect storage and temperatures (Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, n.d.). These wrong practices allow pathogenic bacteria and viruses to form toxins that cause illness. The symptoms and severity of food poisoning vary, depending on which bacteria or virus has contaminated the food. The bacteria and viruses that cause the most illnesses, hospitalisations, or deaths, include:
The World Health Organization provides the following “Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation” (Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, n.d.):
- Choose foods processed for safety;
- Cook food thoroughly;
- Eat cooked foods immediately;
- Store cooked foods carefully;
- Reheat cooked foods thoroughly;
- Avoid contact between raw foods and cooked foods;
- Wash hands repeatedly;
- Keep all kitchen surfaces meticulously clean;
- Protect foods from insects, rodents, and other animals;
- Use clean, safe water.
As practices differ in different cultures, these rules have to be interpreted within the specific cultural setting.
Let us all work together to ensure safe food for all. The theme for this year’s World Food Safety Day which takes place on 7 June 2025 is “Food Safety is everyone’s business”. The theme of World Food Safety Day focuses on the use of scientific knowledge as the key to reducing illness, cutting costs and saving lives and focuses on the five C’s of food safety, namely Check, Chill, Clean, Cook, and Cross-contamination.
Click here to access the World Health Organization campaign material.
The Professional Board for Dietetics and Nutrition |