Food Safety: Science in action
Science is at the heart of food safety. It helps us understand what makes food unsafe and guides us on how to prevent foodborne diseases. The theme of World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2025 draws attention to the use of scientific knowledge as key to reducing illness, cutting costs, and saving lives.
New Zealand Food Safety is responsible for the leadership and stewardship of the food safety system by overseeing the functioning of the system as a whole. The design and implementation of our functions across the food safety system are underpinned by a strong base of scientific evidence.
Everyone has a part to play in keeping food safe – from the people who grow and make food to the people who eat it. By working together, we can build a safer and more reliable food system for the future.
World Food Safety Day – World Health Organization
Join our edible seaweed webinar
Celebrate World Food Safety Day with us by exploring the science behind edible seaweed.
Many New Zealanders enjoy seaweed products, which are often described as a superfood due to their beneficial nutrients. While they are safe to eat, you can have too much of a good thing, as the sea naturally contains heavy metals and bacteria that could cause illness in high concentrations.
In this webinar, you'll hear from New Zealand Food Safety experts from our food science and risk assessment directorate. They will talk about their work on understanding the food safety risks associated with edible seaweed and its safety implications for New Zealanders.
Date: Friday 6 June 2025.
Time: Noon to 1pm.
Register now for the edible seaweed webinar – Microsoft Teams Events
Help promote the webinar – download our poster
World Food Safety Day webinar poster [PDF, 661 KB]
Find out more about our work
Safe food preparation, cooking, and storage at home
Food safety and suitability research
Food safety at home booklet (May 2025) [PDF, 1.1 MB]
