World Food Safety Day is June 7, 2026, and this year’s theme—“From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere”, highlights how data on illness, its burden and lost lives can guide action towards focused and cost-effective solutions.

According to the World Health Organization:

• An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420,000 die every year.
• US $110 billion is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries.
• Children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year.

At RQA, Inc., we know that access to data alone isn’t enough—it’s the application of that data to develop and maintain robust food safety programs that truly drives safe outcomes. That’s where we come in.

Whether you’re preparing for your next GFSI audit, launching a food safety culture initiative, or refining your recall and traceability programs, our team of expert consultants is here to help you turn knowledge into action.

To celebrate World Food Safety Day and foster ongoing engagement, here are a few initiatives your organization might consider:

• Host a webinar or lunch-and-learn on the elements of a robust Food Safey Plan
• Conduct a food safety culture survey and build a targeted action plan
• Perform a scenario-based recall simulation
• Engage cross-functional teams in a “CAPA” competition—quiz, innovation challenge, or risk assessment exercise
• Recognize and celebrate your food safety champions

If any of these ideas resonate with your team—or if you’re looking for tailored support—let’s schedule time to connect.

We’d be happy to explore how RQA can support your science-based food safety goals.

Happy World Food Safety Day—here’s to data making the difference in making and keeping safe food!

Melanie J. Whitman (Scheaffer)
VP, Crisis and Risk Management
+1 (906) 373.6016
m.whitman@rqa-inc.com