Traditional food markets are part of the social fabric of communities and are a main source of affordable fresh foods for many low-income groups and an important source of livelihood for millions of urban and rural inhabitants worldwide. Regulated traditional food markets that operate to high standards of hygiene and sanitation are safe for workers and customers. However significant problems can arise due to human-animal interface that is very common in the markets and from the human-to-human transmission of infectious diseases. WHO, UNEP and WOAH produced an interim guidance in 2021 on Reducing public health risks associated with the sale of live wild animals of mammalian species in traditional food markets (1).
The World Health Assembly 75 approved the decision WHA75(23) (2) that requested WHO to update the interim guidance on reducing public health risks associated with the sale of live wild animals of mammalian species in traditional food markets in order to answer questions on the scope of the guidance, including the species that the guidance covers (mammalian species or mammalian species plus other species) and farmed or wild live animals.
Guided by the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, The Nutrition and Food Safety Department from WHO HQ is in the process of developing guidelines for the transformation of traditional food markets into healthier environments providing safe and nutritious food for the community that protects public health from risks associated with the human-animal interfaces that can happen in traditional food markets taking into consideration the one health approach.
Role of the Guideline Development Group (GDG)
The GDG consists of external subject-matter experts whose primary responsibility is to develop evidence-based recommendations for the guideline. GDG members participate in the development process and meetings as individuals, not as representatives of their affiliated institutions or organizations. The group is also tasked with finalizing the scope and key questions for the guideline. Throughout the process, GDG members define priority outcomes to guide evidence retrieval and review, assess evidence quality, interpret findings, and formulate the recommendations that will form the guideline.
The first meeting took place in November 2023 in The Netherlands and achieved important decisions on the scope, research questions and definition. Following the first GDG meeting, it was advised to expand the group to include more women to ensure gender balance in alignment with WHO’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. The second meeting is planned to take place virtually to review the scientific evidence and prepare recommendations for risk mitigation in traditional food markets.
See: Terms of Reference
List and biography of the proposed additional GDG members
- Maureen Mijide
- Abeer Abdelaziz
- Farahnaz Ghollasi
- Delia Grace
Additional GDG list and members biographies
Comments and perceptions brought to the knowledge of WHO through this process are an integral component of WHO’s Conflicts of Interest assessment policy as to strengthen public trust and transparency in connection with WHO meetings involving the provision of technical/normative advice. Comments and perceptions will be carefully reviewed and treated confidentially. The comments will not be published and will be kept in record.
WHO reserves the right to discuss information received through this process with the relevant expert with no attribution to the provider of such information. Upon review and assessment of the information received through this process, WHO, in its sole discretion, may take appropriate management action in accordance with its policies.
The participation of an expert in a WHO meeting does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization, nor does it create a binding relationship between the expert and WHO. The list of participating experts, a summary of relevant interests disclosed by such experts, and any appropriate mitigation measures taken by WHO relating to the management of conflicts of interest, will be reported publicly in accordance with WHO practice.
Comments should be provided by email, and the receipt of these will be acknowledged through generic email notification to the sender.
The comments received by WHO through the public notice and comment process are treated confidentially and their receipt will be acknowledged through a generic email notification to the sender. The comments will not be published and will be kept in record for three years. Please send your comment to fos-strategy@who.int with the subject, “Public comments on the Guideline Development Group – Traditional Food Markets” with indication of the name, nature and contact details of the sender.
The deadline for public comments is on Monday, 5 February 2025.
[1] World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, United Nations Environment Programme. Reducing public health risks associated with the sale of live wild animals of mammalian species in traditional food markets: interim guidance, 12 April 2021
[2] WHO. WHA75 [cited 2022 Jul 12].