Informal food markets are important sources of affordable, nutritious food for millions of people in low- and middle-income countries. However, a large part of the public health burden of foodborne disease is associated with foods that are handled and sold by informal food processors and vendors. In most low- and middle-income countries, informal food markets will remain important for food and nutritional security for the foreseeable future. And, under a ‘business as usual’ scenario we might even expect the problem of unsafe food in this sector to worsen rather than improve over time. To be more effective in addressing unsafe food in informal markets, there is a need for a shift in mindsets, and a very different, multi-sectoral, multi-dimensional, and spatially focused approach which deals with the complex capacity- and incentive-related constraints associated with informal markets.
This webinar will launch a new report on food safety in the informal sector of low- and middle-income countries, and discuss various ongoing initiatives where elements of the recommended approach are being tested. The report—New Directions for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries—was commissioned by the International Livestock Research Institute.