Chemical contaminants, climate change and AMR are complicating food-borne illnesses: India needs to step up its game, say experts
Health experts in India warn that foodborne illnesses are increasingly complicated by climate change, chemical contaminants, and antimicrobial resistance. With children under five being the most vulnerable, the report calls for urgent improvements in public health infrastructure and food safety standards.
Why it matters
Foodborne diseases remain a critical public health crisis in developing nations, and the intersection with climate change poses a growing threat to global food security and child mortality rates.
Unsafe food continues to pose a major but under-recognised public health challenge in India, particularly among young children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), contaminated food caused an estimated 866 million illnesses and 1.52 million deaths globally in 2021. Children under the age of five account for nearly 29% of the disease burden, despite representing a much smaller proportion of the world’s population. WHO estimates also indicate that South-East Asia bears one of the highest burdens of foodborne disease worldwide. These illnesses are caused by more than 200 diseases linked to bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical contaminants.
The article relies on data from the WHO and expert medical testimony to highlight a public health challenge, maintaining an objective tone.
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