To mark World Food Safety Day 2026, celebrated under the theme “From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere,” Professor Samuel Godefroy, President of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST), has issued a message highlighting the essential role of food science in addressing global food safety challenges.

In his message, Professor Godefroy emphasises that food science provides the knowledge and tools required to identify hazards, investigate foodborne illness outbreaks, determine their root causes and develop effective measures to prevent them from recurring.

He also highlights the importance of scientific and technological innovation in making food safer. Processing technologies, preservation methods, food additives, packaging materials and analytical tools all play a vital role in protecting consumers and reducing the global burden of foodborne disease.

Professor Godefroy further underlines that food processing is one of the most significant public health interventions ever developed. Safe and effective processing technologies have helped reduce foodborne illness, extend shelf life, strengthen food security and improve access to safe food worldwide.

Representing a global network of food scientists through its adhering bodies, IUFoST calls for continued investment in food science, food technology and innovation. Advancing these disciplines is essential to strengthening food systems and ensuring that safe food is available to everyone, everywhere.

The full message from Professor Samuel Godefroy is available to download below.