GENEVA

Every day, 1.6 million people around the world fall ill due to unsafe food, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday, urging stronger global efforts to ensure food safety through science-based policies and practices.

"Food safety is a global responsibility," said Simone Moraes Raszl, the scientist at WHO's Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, during a UN press briefing in Geneva ahead of World Food Safety Day on Saturday.

"These illnesses are preventable, and the science to prevent them already exists. What we need is action -- coordinated, evidence-based, and inclusive action," she added.

Raszl stressed that responsibility for food safety lies with all sectors of society. Policymakers must invest in science-based regulations and strong data systems; food businesses need to adopt rigorous safety practices and embrace transparency; academia should continue to innovate and educate; and consumers must stay informed and practice safe food handling at home.

"Every one of us is a risk manager," she said. "Because if it's not safe, it's not food."