Food safety depends on every link in the food chain working together, from suppliers and retailers to consumers preparing meals at home.
By: Ashley Eisenbeiser, Vice President of Food & Product Safety Programs, FMI
Food safety is interconnected.
Every product on a grocery shelf represents a chain of people, processes and decisions working together to protect public health. Farmers, manufacturers, suppliers, brokers, wholesalers, transportation providers, retailers and consumers all play a role in maintaining food safety and consumer trust.
The upcoming World Food Safety Day on June 7, 2026, features the theme “From burden to solutions—safe food everywhere.” It serves as a reminder that food safety is a shared responsibility across the entire supply chain and collaborative between governments, the food industry and consumers. Everybody has a role to play from farm to table to ensure the food we consume is safe.
Food safety begins long before products reach store shelves. Upstream supplier programs, food safety management programs, audits and certification systems help create consistency and accountability throughout the global food system. The SQF certification program of the Safe Quality Food Institute, a division of FMI, encompasses more than 14,000 sites in 55 countries. It plays a significant role in strengthening food safety culture and reinforcing preventive practices that build confidence across the supply chain.
Retailers then serve as a critical bridge between suppliers and consumers. From cold chain management and sanitation practices to associate training, food retailers work every day to help ensure products remain safe as they move from distribution centers to stores and ultimately into shoppers’ homes.
Training and education play an important role in supporting frontline food safety practices. The FMI food safety training and certification program, SafeMark®, helps equip food retail associates with practical knowledge of safe food handling, sanitation and food protection practices that support safer operations across stores and retail food environments.
Today, more than 11,000 stores use SafeMark® for managers and food handlers, with more than 10,000 managers certified through the program. These efforts matter because consumer confidence remains foundational to the food industry. According to FMI research, 89% of shoppers trust their grocery store to ensure their food is safe.
Food safety does not stop at the store
Safe food handling practices at home are an essential part of protecting families and communities. Proper handwashing, safe cooking temperatures and avoiding cross-contamination all contribute to reducing foodborne illness risks.
Recognizing the important role consumers also have in food safety, FMI partners with the Partnership for Food Safety Education to promote safe food-handling practices and offer consumers practical tools and resources for home kitchens.
World Food Safety Day is an opportunity to recognize the food safety professionals working across the industry. Much of their work—audits, inspections, training programs, preventive controls—happens behind the scenes, unseen by consumers. What consumers do experience, however, is the outcome: a food system that consistently delivers safe, high-quality products they can trust for their families.
Trust in our food system is built collectively. Each day, from farm to fork, our industry works together to implement strong food safety practices, ensuring every link in the chain remains strong. FMI and SQFI support the industry by advancing science-based food safety solutions that help ensure safe food for all.
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