Food safety in low and middle-income countries: The evidence through an economic lens

Foodborne diseases exact a large health toll in low and middle-income countries. We review the empirical research on the safety of food produced and consumed in these settings. We follow the value chain, from consumer demand to agricultural production, to describe existing knowledge and identify gaps for future research. We identify factors that contribute to food safety problems in low and middle-income countries. These factors include: limited consumer awareness and ability to pay for food safety; the lack of incentives to invest in food safety along the food supply chain, from farmers to aggregators, processors, food service providers, and retailers; and weakness of the public institutions responsible for regulatory enforcement. Programs that engage midsize and larger firms in co-regulation and reward farmers and firms for investment in food safety suggest potential ways forward.