The mission of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety (FSIL) is to reduce the burden of foodborne illness and break the cycle of disease, malnutrition, and food insecurity by strengthening food safety in the global food supply. Since our launch in 2019, we have partnered with U.S. universities and global teams to develop knowledge, practices, and policies to strengthen the food safety of households, communities, and commercial value chains in Africa and Asia, with an emphasis on microbial foodborne pathogens.  FSIL supports research that fills key evidence gaps, increases food safety awareness, and builds capacity to motivate consumer, government, and private sector action that strengthens food safety systems and increases access to safe, nutritious foods. Improved food safety systems benefit local, global, and American consumers. The United States sources food from more than 200 countries and territories, with imported food playing a particularly significant role in the supply of fresh vegetables (32%), fresh fruit (55%), and seafood (94%). Supporting practices and policies to reduce the risk of contamination with foodborne pathogens increases consumers’ access to safe, nutritious foods from the global food chain.

Led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Feed the Future is the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. FSIL one of the more than 20 Feed the Future Innovation Labs that draw on the expertise of top U.S. universities and developing country research institutions to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges in agriculture and food security. Innovation Labs play a key role in USAID’s implementation of the U.S. Government’s Global Food Security Strategy and Global Food Security Research Strategy.