About the WHO Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses

The Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses (FOS), provides leadership in global efforts to lower the burden of diseases from food and animals.
In carrying out its activities, FOS focuses on:

• providing evidence-based scientific options for policy development to protect consumer's health and managing food safety
• developing mitigation strategies to prevent, control and contain risks
• setting international standards and promoting their implementation
• coordinating international effort to food-related outbreak surveillance, detection and response
• ensuring clear risk communication in support of foodborne and zoonotic disease prevention
• providing technical support to assist Member States building sustainable capacity.

WHO works closely with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other international organizations to address food safety issues along the entire food production chain from production to consumption.