June1–7

Food Safety Week – June 1-7, 2026

Want to sponsor Food Safety Week? Learn more

Food Safety Week is a week-long annual celebration observed in the same week as World Food Safety Day and this year it will be marked on June 1 to 7. Food Safety Week was celebrated for the first time in 2019 to raise awareness of food-borne illnesses and encourages people to adopt food standards to avoid these diseases. Food safety is the handling, cooking, and storage of food in the best possible way to prevent food-borne illnesses. Some food safety principles include regular washing of hands and surfaces, separating raw and cooked food, cooking meals at the right temperature, and preserving food at a temperature of 40 oF and below.

History of Food Safety Week

Food-borne diseases are not a modern problem and have existed for hundreds of years. The first recorded case of food-borne illness can be traced back to Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. According to historical records, the ruler died from typhoid fever caused by Salmonella typhi.

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, and Romans were known to have employed preservation techniques and food labeling for food safety reasons. With the commercialization of production, states introduced food safety, sanitation, and hygiene legislation. The first of these appeared in the 13th Century. In 1202, the Assize of Bread and Ale Law was instituted to prohibit the adulteration of bread using ingredients such as ground peas or beans. In 1266, the U.K. parliament banned unwholesome food. The American colonists enacted the same law as the Assize of Bread in 1646 and later passed the Massachusetts Acts Against Selling Unwholesome Provisions in 1785. The latter was introduced due to the high rate of adulterated food sold in Canada and the U.S.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the number of food safety and sanitation legislation passed worldwide significantly increased. That is attributed to the rise in food-borne diseases and deaths globally in the early 1900s. After WWII, there was more public interest in food safety, and people began calling on governments to introduce more robust food standards and regulations. During the mid-20th and early 21st centuries, a plethora of laws were established in the U.S., including the Poultry Products Inspection Acts, the Fair Labeling Act, the mandatory use of HACCP for low-acid canned foods, the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act. On December 20, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to proclaim June 7 as World Food Safety Day.

Food Safety Week timeline

323 B.C.
The First Record of Foodborne Disease

Alexander the Great dies from suspected typhoid fever.

1202
[The [Assize of Bread and Ale Law

King John of England proclaims the Assize of Bread and Ale Law to prevent food adulteration.

19th—20th Centuries
The Era of Food Safety Legislations

Governments around the world increase the number of food safety and sanitation legislations.

2018
The Resolution for World Food Safety Day

On December 20, The United Nations adopts a resolution proclaiming June 7 as World Food Safety Day.

Food Safety Week FAQs

What are the five basic food safety rules?

They are: keep your food clean, separate raw food from cooked, cook thoroughly, store food at the proper temperature, and use safe water and raw materials.

Which are high-risk foods?

These include dairy products, foods containing eggs, cooked rice and pasta, meat, seafood, and poultry.

What causes food poisoning?

Infectious organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or their toxins are the common causes of food poisoning.

How to Observe Food Safety Week

  1. Share food safety guidelines

    If you’re a teacher, you can use the week to educate your students on food-borne diseases and the necessary safety measures to avoid them. You can also share tips online on preventing food contamination and poisoning.

  2. Prepare a meal

    If you’re going to educate others on food safety, you also need to practice them at home. This Food Safety Week, commit to preparing your meals following the food safety rules by the World Health Organization.

  3. Take part in Food Safety Week events

    Events are organized around the world, both physically and online, to celebrate Food Safety Week. Find the ones happening near you in the World Food Safety Day FAO section of the WHO website.

5 Intriguing Facts About Food

  1. Your best Vitamin C plug

    Depending on the color, peppers are two to three times richer in vitamin C than oranges.

  2. Honey can last thousands of years

    Natural honey can stay fresh and good for consumption for over 5,000 years.

  3. Chocolate was a currency

    The Aztec and Mayan civilizations used chocolate to trade for food and clothing.

  4. White chocolate is not chocolate

    White chocolate is made up of sugar, milk, vanilla, lecithin, and cocoa butter, without any chocolate solids.

  5. Cheese is the most stolen food

    About 4% of the world’s cheese production is stolen, making it the most stolen food item globally.

Why Food Safety Week is Important

  1. It promotes public health and safety

    According to the United Nations, about 420,000 people die yearly due to eating contaminated food, with children under five making up 40% of them. Awareness created during Food Safety Week can help reduce these numbers.

  2. It calls for government involvement in food safety

    Governments have a crucial role to play in food safety as they serve as regulatory bodies for all social-economic areas. Food Safety Week forums encourage governments to introduce standards and stronger food safety infrastructure.

  3. It encourages innovation

    Food Safety Week provides a platform for stakeholders to meet and discuss. With such forums, the future of food safety is analyzed and actions to detect and manage food-borne risks can be instituted.

Food Safety Week dates

Year Date Day
2024 June 3–9 Monday–Sunday
2025 June 2–8 Monday–Sunday
2026 June 1–7 Monday–Sunday
June
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
 
 
America The Beautiful Week
Canadian Environment Week
Food Safety Week
National CPR and AED Awareness Week
RSPCA Week
Step Parents Week
Volunteers' Week
Dare Day
Don't Give up the Ship Day
Flip A Coin Day
Gawai Dayak
Global Day of Parents
Holy Spirit Monday
Intergenerational Day
International Children's Day
June Bank Holiday
Madaraka Day
National Barefoot Day
National Billboard Day
National Hazelnut Cake Day
National Heimlich Maneuver Day
National Nail Polish Day
National Olive Day
National Pen Pal Day
National Skincare Education Day
New Year's Resolution Recommitment Day
Orthodox Pentecost Monday
Oscar the Grouch Day
Samoa Independence Day
Say Something Nice Day
Stand For Children Day
Statehood Day in Kentucky
Statehood Day in Tennessee
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Birthday
Wear a Dress Day
World Milk Day
World Narcissistic Abuse Awareness Day
World Outlander Day
World Reef Awareness Day
African American Appreciation Month
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Awareness Month
Aphasia Awareness Month
Audiobook Month
Beautiful in Your Skin Month
Black Lives Matter Month
Black Music Month
Cancer from the Sun Month
Caribbean-American Heritage Month
Cataract Awareness Month
Celibacy Awareness Month
Child Vision Awareness Month
Children's Awareness Month
CMV Awareness Month
Cucumber Month
Effective Communications Month
Entrepreneurs "Do it Yourself" Marketing Month
Fight the Filthy Fly Month
Fireworks Eye Safety Month
Fireworks Safety Month
Georgia Blueberry Month
Great Outdoors Month
Infertility Awareness Month
International Surf Music Month
Lane Courtesy Month
Mango Month
Men's Health Month
Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
National Accordion Awareness Month
National Adopt A Cat Month
National Camping Month
National Candy Month
National Country Cooking Month
National Dairy Month
National DJ Month
National Foster a Pet Month
National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month
National Frozen Yogurt Month
National Give a Bunch of Balloons Month
National Homeownership Month
National Iced Tea Month
National Lemon Month
National Microchipping Month
National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
National Oceans Month
National Osteoporosis Month
National Pet Preparedness Month
National Pollinator Month
National PTSD Awareness Month
National Rivers Month
National Rose Month
National Safety Month
National Scoliosis Awareness Month
National Soul Food Month
National Steakhouse Month
National Zoo and Aquarium Month
Oral Health Month
Perennial Gardening Month
Pharmacists Declare War on Alcoholism Month
Pluot & Aprium Month
Potty Training Awareness Month
Pride Month
Pride Month
Professional Wellness Month
Rebuild Your Life Month
Scleroderma Awareness Month
Skyscraper Month
Social Petworking Month
Sports America Kids Month
Turkey Lovers Month
Vision Research Month
We Advocate Time Consciousness and Honesty
Women’s Golf Month

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.