Nutrition and Food Safety
The Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS) Department is addressing the burden of disease from physical, chemical and microbial hazards in food and unhealthy diets, maternal and child malnutrition, overweight and obesity.

Multisectoral Actions in Food Systems (AFS)

The multisectoral Actions in Food Systems (AFS) Unit defines implementation tools to strengthen food systems; support multisectoral policies to improve safety, quality and sustainability of food; engages with stakeholders in the food chain, and monitors policy implementation. The Unit provides support to WHO’s Member States in reducing the burden of diseases caused by unsafe food, unhealthy diets, and malnutrition in close collaboration with UN partner agencies, and other international organizations and stakeholders.

Five keys to safer food

Videos

This animated film was developed to explain the WHO Five Keys to Safer Food to general public from 9 to 99 years old, and encourage their practice at home. The Five Keys to Safer Food is a WHO global health message that everybody should know all over the world to prevent foodborne diseases and improve health.

Albanian
Arabic
Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani (short)
Bosnian
Cantonese (subtitled in Chinese)
Chinese
English
English (short)

Publications

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Pesticide residues in food: report 2024: Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues

A Joint Meeting of the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment and the WHO Core Assessment Group on Pesticide Residues (JMPR)...

WHO global anaemia estimates: key findings, 2025

The brief on key findings from the 2025 edition of the WHO anaemia estimates provides a snapshot of the current status of anaemia among women aged 15–49...

Levels and trends in child malnutrition: UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Group joint child malnutrition estimates: key findings of the 2025 edition

Child malnutrition estimates for the indicators stunting, severe wasting, wasting and overweight describe the magnitude and patterns of under- and overnutrition. ...

Assessment tool

Food control system assessment tool: dimension D: Science / Knowledge base and continuous improvement

Dimension D looks at the necessary features for the system to build its scientific soundness and to keep abreast of new scientific developments and innovations,...

Food control system assessment tool: dimension C: interactions with stakeholders

Dimension C identifies the interactions that must take place for the system to regularly adjust to national and international stakeholders’ evolving...

Food control system assessment tool: dimension B: control functions

Dimension B focuses on the processes and the outputs of the national food control system. It revolves around the control functions that must be exercised...

Food control system assessment tool: dimension A: inputs and resources 

Dimension A aims at mapping the fundamental elements necessary for the system to operate. These range from legal and policy instruments to financial assets,...

Food control system assessment tool: introduction and glossary

National food control system plays a pivotal role in protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in food trade. When we are able...

Documents

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NFS newsletter - May-June 2025 publication cover

This edition of the NFS Newsletter features key activities we undertook in May and June 2025. 

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 thumbnail

This report is the annual global monitoring report for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 targets 2.1 and 2.2 – to end hunger, food insecurity...

Risk assessment of food allergen guideline - June 2025 summary and conclusions pub cover

At the request of Codex, FAO and WHO held a series of expert meetings, beginning in 2020, on the risk assessment of food allergens and published the meeting...

Infographics

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