On World Food Safety Day, the International Special Dietary Foods Industries (ISDI) joins the global community in reaffirming a shared commitment to safe food for all. This year’s theme – “From burden to solutions: safe food everywhere” – is a powerful reminder that food safety is both a public health imperative and a practical, science‑driven endeavour that requires sustained collaboration across the food chain.

Foodborne risks do not affect everyone equally. Infants and young children, patients, older adults and people with specific medical or dietary needs are among those most vulnerable to unsafe food. For these populations, food safety is not optional – it is essential. Ensuring the safety of special dietary foods is therefore fundamental to protecting health, supporting development and improving quality of life at every stage.

Manufacturers of special dietary foods operate in a high‑responsibility environment, where food safety and quality are embedded at the core of product design, production and use. A strict approach to food safety combines rigorous supplier qualification, risk‑based ingredient management, controlled logistics, and comprehensive, science‑based food safety management systems. These systems are aligned with international standards, including Codex principles, and are continuously monitored, verified and improved to reflect advances in science and technology.

Clear, accurate information is an essential extension of food safety. Transparent labelling and responsible communication help consumers, caregivers and healthcare professionals understand how special dietary foods should be used safely and appropriately, reinforcing trust and supporting informed choices.

From burden to solutions

This year’s World Food Safety Day also highlights the importance of data and evidence in moving from burden to solutions. Robust information on the magnitude, distribution and impact of foodborne risks enables governments, regulators and food businesses to prioritise action, design effective interventions and strengthen food control systems. For people with special dietary needs, such evidence is critical to ensuring that foods designed to support health do not themselves become a source of harm.

Furthermore, science-based special dietary foods are tailored to the nutritional requirements of people with special dietary needs and support the growth, health and well-being of vulnerable populations, from birth to old age.

Food safety is a shared responsibility

On World Food Safety Day, ISDI calls for continued collaboration between governments, international organisations, scientists, healthcare professionals and industry to translate science into effective standards and practices. By working together across sectors and borders, we can reduce the burden of foodborne disease and ensure access to food that is safe, nutritious and appropriate for those who need it most – everywhere.

About ISDI

ISDI is the leading international expert association on special dietary foods, including foods specifically designed for infants and young children. ISDI members are national and international associations that are active in this sector from more than 20 countries over 6 continents. Our members manufacture and market foods that are formulated, in accordance with applicable Codex Alimentarius standards, to meet the compositional criteria, quality requirement and nutritional needs of infants and young children. 

Media contact 

Jean Christophe Kremer
ISDI Secretary General 
+32 476 82 03 90 
secretariat@isdi.org