Sustainability | ~4 min read
Food for thought on World Health Day
As consumers learn more about how diets influence long‑term health, attention is shifting to the link between what we eat and the risks hidden in our food systems.
World Health Day, on 7 April, focuses on the importance of science in addressing health challenges for a safer, healthier future. It also underscores that positive health outcomes depend on access to safe, nutritious and affordable food.
But this cannot be taken for granted. For investors, rising risks to food safety are becoming material ESG considerations. Even food perceived as “healthy” may carry hidden risks, with humans increasingly being exposed to chemicals through their diets.
Pesticide residues, heavy metals, food additives, and contaminants from environmental pollution, food processing and packaging1 can lead to health issues. Many metals are present naturally in the environment and heavy metal contamination often originates upstream – in soils, water sources, fertilisers, industrial emissions or wastewater use. These can contaminate fruits, vegetables and animal derived products.
Hard to swallow
Cumulative exposure to these chemicals and pollutants can be harmful over the long term, yet consumers remain poorly informed about sources of contamination and the health implications.
Take heavy metals such as cadmium and lead. They can accumulate in the body over time and potentially affect organs and neurological development. Concerns are also rising over the connection between some cancers and certain contaminants – including specific arsenic species – which occur naturally in soil and water.2
Collective responsibility
Ensuring safe food requires the coordinated responsibility of stakeholders across the food chain, from primary producers to end consumers, alongside industrial actors, suppliers and regulators. The European Union’s Farm to Fork approach to food safety includes a dedicated chemical safety framework that sets maximum residue and contaminant levels and restricts hazardous substances.3
As investors, we consider the long-term global risks associated with food systems. Contamination events can trigger recalls, litigation and significant reputational harm. Embedding food safety risks into long term analysis helps identify companies with strong oversight and rigorous supplier controls.
Investing early in areas such as testing capacity, regenerative agriculture or safer inputs are examples of the leading practices we encourage in companies to support more sustainable and healthier food systems.
Plenty of food for thought – and a reminder that healthy outcomes start long before the food reaches our plates.
1 European Commission, Contaminants - Food Safety, 2025
2 European Food Safety Authority, Inorganic arsenic in food – health concerns confirmed, January 2024
3 European Commission, Farm to Fork Strategy - Food Safety, 2025
