Rome, Jun 6, 2019, SPA -- Every year, nearly one in every ten people in the world (an estimated 600 million people) fall ill and 420,000 die, due to eating bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances contaminated food. Unsafe food also hinders socioeconomic development in many low- and middle-income economies, which lose around $95 billion in productivity associated with illness, disability, and premature death suffered by workers. Foodborne diseases impede development by straining health care systems and harming national economies, tourism and trade. The value of trade in food is $1.6 trillion, approximately 10% of total annual trade globally. Children aged under 5 carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year. World Food Safety Day 2019's theme is that food safety is everyone's business. Food safety contributes to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. The UN has designated two of its agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to lead efforts in promoting food safety around the world. -- SPA 18:42 LOCAL TIME 15:42 GMT 0013 www.spa.gov.sa/w1115252