The mission of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety (FSIL) was 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. From 2019 to 2025, we 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 supported research to fill key evidence gaps, increase food safety awareness, and build capacity to motivate consumer, government, and private sector action to strengthen food safety systems and increase access to safe, nutritious foods. Stronger 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 was the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative from 2011-2025. FSIL was one of the more than 20 Feed the Future Innovation Labs that drew 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 played a key role in USAID’s implementation of the U.S. Government’s Global Food Security Strategy and Global Food Security Research Strategy.