World Food Safety Day 2025: A Global Call to Action Amid Evolving Challenges
Every year on June 7th, the global community observes World Food Safety Day, an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This day underscores the critical importance of food safety in ensuring public health, food security, and sustainable development.
Last year’s 2024 theme, “Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected,” highlighted the growing need for readiness in the face of unforeseen food safety incidents. This year’s theme is “Science in Action,” recognizing that scientific research underpins every aspect of food safety, and without it, ensuring our food is safe across the supply chain would be impossible.
The rising tide of food safety concerns
Recent years have witnessed a surge in foodborne illness outbreaks and recalls, signaling a pressing need for enhanced food safety measures. In 2024, the U.S. experienced a 41% increase in food recalls, with hospitalizations more than doubling from 230 in 2023 to 487 in 2024.
Listeria led to 65 recalls, making up 22% of recalls in 2024. This demonstrates a slight increase compared to 47 recalls in 2022, and 56 recalls in 2019. Notably, a listeriosis outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meats resulted in 10 deaths and 60 hospitalizations in the U.S. alone. Another Listeria-related recall this year was for frozen waffles and pancakes, involving more than 40 brands and 240 different products.
These incidents, among others that have captured media headlines this past year, expose the vulnerabilities in our food supply chain and the dire consequences of lapses in food safety protocols, all of which could be prevented.
Regulatory shifts and challenges
In response to these challenges, regulatory bodies are reevaluating their approach to food safety. In May 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to intensify its oversight of chemicals in the food supply, moving from a reactive to a more proactive evaluation process.
However, these efforts are juxtaposed against significant budget cuts and workforce reductions. In April 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services laid off 10,000 workers, including 2,500 from the FDA, impacting key personnel involved in inspections, outbreak response, and regulatory oversight. These reductions have raised valid concerns about the FDA’s ability to effectively manage rising food safety risks.
Global perspectives and trade implications
Food safety concerns are not confined to the United States. Differing standards across regions have led to ongoing trade tensions. For instance, the United Kingdom continues to ban imports of hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken from the U.S., citing its commitment to more stringent food safety protocols. Such disparities underscore the challenges of creating harmonized global food safety standards that still respect national priorities and consumer expectations.
Looking ahead: A collective responsibility
At Kiwa, we recognize the multifaceted challenges facing the global food industry. As an international Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) company, we are dedicated to supporting organizations in navigating these complexities. We service a broad range of sectors across the supply chain, offering food safety audits, various certifications, training, and more to help brands mitigate risk.
World Food Safety Day serves as a powerful reminder that the safety of our food is a shared responsibility. Governments, industry stakeholders, scheme owners, auditors, Certification Bodies, and food manufacturers must work together to build resilient, transparent, and sustainable food systems that can withstand both unexpected and foreseeable threats to public health.
As we mark this important occasion, join us as we re-commit to the principles of prevention, vigilance, and global collaboration. Kiwa as a whole, and every Kiwa company under the global Food, Feed, and Agriculture umbrella remains ready to support operations around the world in creating a safe and secure food future for all.
To learn more about how Kiwa can help your organization strengthen its food safety systems, check out our website- https://www.kiwa.com/en/markets/food-feed-farm/. For U.S. specific services, visit Kiwa ASI’s website at https://www.asifood.com/