“At FAO, we believe food safety is not just about preventing harm,” Lipp said. “It is about creating confidence and trust in the food we eat, in the systems that protect us, that protect food safety and in the institutions that serve the public good for safe food.”

Lipp stressed that science must not be imposed in a top-down fashion but embraced as a collective foundation for action and dialogue. “Science is more than practice—it is a belief in shared knowledge and shared reality. When used well, it protects health, facilitates trade, and strengthens trust,” he said.

Lipp also pointed to the joint work of FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) in delivering scientific advice through mechanisms like the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which helps ensure food safety standards are evidence-based while also respecting local contexts and cultural norms.

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu had a similar message in a recent video regarding World Food Safety Day 2025.

“On this World Food Safety Day, let us reflect on the fundamental role science plays in protecting our food,” Qu said, adding, “To ensure food availability, food accessability, food affordability, and food safety for all, we need to accelerate the transformation of global agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable.”

Click here to learn more about the activities FAO is planning for this year’s World Food Safety Day.