Diet is a cornerstone of health, helping prevent malnutrition, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and foodborne illnesses caused by physical, chemical, or biological hazards. A healthy balance of animal- and plant-source foods is essential: animal-source foods provide highly bioavailable protein and key nutrients, but excessive intake of certain types can increase NCD risk, while plant-based diets lower NCD risk yet may lead to nutrient deficiencies if overly restrictive. Food systems for both sources also have significant environmental impacts, including land and water use and greenhouse gas emissions, and unsafe food remains a major global health threat.
To address these challenges, WHO supports Member States in promoting healthier, safer, and more sustainable diets through guidelines, policy actions, and scientific advice. This includes initiatives in schools and public settings, contributions to Codex Alimentarius, and expert programs such as JECFA and JEMRA. Building on this work, WHO has initiated the development of a guideline on optimal animal-source food intake, which will be carried out by the Guideline Development Group (GDG). To support this, WHO is creating a risk-benefit assessment framework that addresses dietary, biological, chemical, and sustainability factors for both animal- and plant-source foods. The framework will be informed by the Technical Advisory Group on risk-benefit assessment on optimal intake of animal-source foods, and the TAG will act as an advisory body to WHO in this field.
Contact
List of members
Biochemist and molecular biologist, Université nationale d'Agriculture, Benin
Biomedical Engineer, United Nation's Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Sri Lanka
Professor in Food Biochemistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Health and Food Safety Consultant, Global Food Regulatory Science Society, Jordan
Associate Professor in Epidemiology, Food Safety, and Veterinary Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates
Senior International Consultant, Rtd Senior Officer, Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations, India
Professor and head the Department of Animal Health, Department of Animal Health Mafikeng Campus, North West University, South Africa
Professor of Public Health, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Risk Assessor, Swedish Food Agency, Sweden
Food Scientist and Laboratory Manager, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore
Professor of Food Safety, Toxicology, and Risk Assessment, Michigan State University, United States of America
Deputy Director, Division I of Risk Assessment, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, China
Scientific Director, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Professor of Food Microbiology and Mycotoxicology, Department of Microbiology, Babcock University, Nigeria
Food microbiologist, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), France
Scientist, RIVM, National Institute for Health and the Environment, Netherlands
Senior scientist, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Specialist Adviser Toxicology in food safety, Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Food Safety, New Zealand
Principal Risk Scientist, Risk Sciences International, Canada
Nutritional Scientist and Epidemiologist, German Diabetes Center, Germany
Professorial Research Fellow in Climate, Change, Food Systems and Health, University College London, University of Oxford , United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Term of reference
In TAG’s role as an advisory body to WHO, it will perform the following functions:
- Provide independent advice on the scientific, technical, and strategic aspects for the development of generic risk-benefit assessment framework considering the guidelines for optimal intake of animal-source foods and potential food substitutions, considering sustainability and socioeconomic factors;
- Identify and recommend priorities in the fields of epidemiology, nutrition, microbiology and toxicology related to food consumption and its potential health outcomes;
- Provide advice on developing a methodology to synthesize the scientific evidence and apply this approach to generate findings and conclusions (quantitative and/or qualitative) about the associations between food consumption and health outcomes, whether beneficial or adverse;
- Provide advice on developing quantitative risk-benefit assessment models to analyse and compare dietary scenarios;
- Advise WHO on methods for data collection, evaluation of data quality, and handling of uncertainties;
- Advise WHO on planned activities and approaches within this work;
- Review and make recommendations on the generic risk-benefit assessment framework of the guidelines at local level utilizing risk-benefit assessment models.
Documents
First WHO meeting on optimal intake of animal-source foods: Risk-Benefit Assessment...
Publications
Joint FAO/WHO expert consultation on the risks and benefits of fish consumption: meeting report, Rome,...
Evolving science and debate concerning the benefits and risks of consuming fish have resulted in confusion over the years, and national and international...
Red and processed meat in the context of health and the environment: many shades of red and green: information...
There is growing international consensus that food systems transformation is important to address the challenges of malnutrition in all its forms, the...
Sustainable healthy diets: guiding principles
Considering the detrimental environmental impact of current food systems, and the concerns raised about their sustainability, there is an urgent need...