Food Safety is an integral part of public health and health protection – the goal of food safety is human health! Access to safe and nutritionally adequate food supplies continues to be a major issue all over the world. Despite substantial progress in the knowledge and application of food safety techniques, contaminated food is the direct cause of a high proportion of disease and therefore a major contributor to malnutrition. The majority of disease agents that contaminate food are biological, posing a wide range of public health consequences, but chemical contamination has also become a cause for public health concern.

Foodborne diseases are widespread, and represent a serious threat to health in both developing and developed countries, most severely affecting children, pregnant women and the elderly. The health consequences are particularly significant in emerging economies, since they can strain health care systems to a large extent, and reduce economic productivity as well. In addition, low safety standards may have marked economic consequences by reducing opportunities in both domestic and export markets.

The true incidence of foodborne diseases is often difficult to evaluate. In many instances, only a small proportion of cases comes to the notice of health services, and even fewer are investigated. It is believed that in industrialised countries less than 10% of the cases are reported, while in developing countries reported cases probably account for less than 1% of the total. Despite these limitations in reporting, available data give evidence of a tremendous public health problem, and there are indications of an increasing trend.

It is a well-recognised fact that international food trade is on the rise. The latest OECD forecast on world trade in food and dairy products reveals a significant increase both in terms of supply and demand on a global scale for the first decade of the next millennium. Developing countries see food trade as increasingly important for their economic development and they view it as a test of the fairness of the international trading system. This substantiates the need for WHO as the lead international agency for public health to make sure that globally accepted, health-based standards are in place.

The recent incidences of animal feed contamination by dioxins have once again shown the importance of ascertaining adequate control of food supplies along the entire food chain. This has also demonstrated the high level of public concern about food safety, and highlighted the need for all sectors of society to co-operate in order to promote availability and consumption of safe food. We have a responsibility towards our populations to ensure healthy nutrition throughout the life cycle.

There are also new challenges and issues emerging in the food safety area. The increasing development, production and trade of genetically modified foods has raised safety concerns in the public, and requires new approaches to ensure consumer and environmental safety. New and emerging foodborne pathogens and diseases, as well as the presence of persistent organic pollutants in food pose ever-increasing demands for safety assurance.

WHO has always recognised that "access to nutritionally adequate and safe food is a right of each individual". Food safety issues are the focus of various departments within WHO at the global and regional level. WHO's work in this field has been, and is still being conducted in co-ordination with all relevant international agencies, particularly FAO, and in cooperation with national agencies with corresponding responsibilities.

Evidence-based strategies drive the work of WHO. Our work should be based on substantiated evidence and a careful scientific assessment of the public health risks involved. We should decide on the most efficient lines of action for work at the global level, covering aspects of normative activities and technical support. Challenges to food safety lie within both domains: providing the scientific basis, and deciding on appropriate actions.

It is important that a science-based application of the precautionary principle is put into practice especially when uncertainties prevail, as this is often the case for emerging foodborne diseases.

The new strategy of WHO in the field of food safety takes a holistic approach to the problem: this means that we look at food safety as a continuum "from farm to fork". WHO will strengthen its work in this area and has recently appointed a new co-ordinator for food safety issues – Dr Jr rgen Schlundt. Our work will require an enhanced coordination of work within WHO, involving all relevant disciplines at the global and the regional level, and building on existing as well as new potential synergies. We aim also at renewed and strong partnerships with external partners.

WHO is working to bring central aspects of health into the process of world-wide sustainable development. Food safety is one such important aspect.

It is in this context that we view your meeting here for the next couple of days. I look forward to your deliberations.