Laying the foundation: data collection for Global Foodborne Disease Burden Estimates

Abstract Standardized and high-quality data collection is a critical first step in estimating the global burden of foodborne diseases. This work supports the second global foodborne disease burden estimates, aiming to produce updated figures for illness, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years. Data are primarily sourced from systematic reviews commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO), following standardized protocols, with registrations on PROSPERO to ensure transparency. The data collection includes peer-reviewed and grey literature, national surveillance reports, and WHO databases, covering bacterial, viral, parasitic, and chemical foodborne hazards. Reviews incorporated literature in multiple languages from 1990 onward. For some hazards, input parameters were also requested from WHO and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. In the absence of sufficient data, selected expert provided contextual input to inform modelling parameters. Coordinating review teams and ensuring consistency, transparency, and replicability across diverse hazards posed several challenges. Methodological harmonization was essential for comparability, yet protocols needed to remain flexible to accommodate hazard-specific characteristics, data availability, and surveillance quality. Various strategies were put in place to coordinate review teams and ensure data quality. Extracted data were compiled using standardized templates that capture detailed epidemiological and contextual information, laying a robust foundation for imputation, modelling, and globally relevant burden estimates. Furthermore, the templates are structured to be easily updated as needed. This comprehensive and harmonized data collection process is critical for estimating the global foodborne disease burden, ensuring transparency and reproducibility. It provides the foundation for global food safety strategies and ultimately contributes to reducing the health burden of foodborne diseases worldwide.