According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 200 diseases can be traced back to the consumption of unsafe food. From diarrhoea to cancer – 1.6 million people worldwide are affected every day. The number of unreported cases is far higher. Under the motto “Science in Action”, World Food Safety Day has been drawing attention to abuses in this domain since 2018. Whether Salmonella, Campylobacter or Escherichia coli: If pathogenic bacteria or viruses get into food, they can pose a health risk to humans. The task of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is to clarify the ways in which these microbial risks spread in the food chain and to assess the health risk of contaminated food and feed. To ensure that the knowledge gained also reaches consumers, the BfR has published various communication activities that provide information on kitchen hygiene, food safety and numerous other topics. “The safety of our food is essential and affects us all. In order to protect as many people as possible from food-related diseases, we rely on knowledge. We want to reach people with various communication measures – to protect the youngest members of our society, the interested public and the scientific community,” says Professor Andreas Hensel, President of the BfR.  

Major cuts to Medicaid funding could have rural communities across the country facing widespread hospital closures and reduced access to health care, says Michael Shepherd, a health policy researcher at the University of Michigan. In this Q&A, Shepherd discusses what cuts could mean.