WHO/Europe has estimated that levels of foodborne disease are much higher than currently reported, underlining the need for improved collaboration among sectors to lower the health risks associated with unsafe food.

"The fact that we significantly underestimate how many people become ill from chemicals in the food chain and from common microorganisms such as salmonella and campylobacter should start alarm bells ringing across the many areas with a stake in our food chain. A failure in food safety at any link in this chain, from the environment, through primary production, processing, transport, trade, catering or in the home, can have significant health and economic consequences," says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe.

Current surveillance and reporting systems across the WHO European region are limited and detect only a small fraction of cases. This underreporting is greater in countries with less advanced laboratory capacities and less developed surveillance systems.

Better data is needed to respond effectively to risks, says WHO.