On May 27, 2022, at the 75th Session of the World Health Assembly, World Health Organization (WHO) Member States approved the new WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022–2030 (GSFS). The strategy addresses current and emerging food safety challenges, takes into consideration new technologies, and includes innovative approaches for strengthening food safety systems. The strategy provides guidance for Member States in their efforts to strengthen their national food safety systems and promote regional and global cooperation.
Member States requested an update to GSFS at the 73rd Session of the World Health Assembly in 2020, noting that the food safety systems of many Member States are facing difficulties and require significant improvements in several areas, such as: regulatory infrastructure, enforcement, surveillance, inspection, laboratory capacity and capability, coordination mechanisms, emergency response, and food safety education and training. Member States also cited the need to integrate food safety into national and regional policies on health, agriculture, trade, environment, and development, and urged that a “One Health” approach should be applied to food safety efforts.