, June 4 -- Unsafe food causes an estimated 1.5 million deaths worldwide every year, with young children bearing a disproportionate share of the burden, according to new findings released by the World Health Organization (WHO) ahead of World Food Safety Day next week.

The report, published on Wednesday, found that children under the age of five are especially vulnerable to foodborne diseases. Despite making up only nine per cent of the global population, they account for nearly one-third of all cases of food-related illnesses, many involving severe diarrhoeal diseases that can be fatal.

WHO also warned that exposure to harmful chemicals through contaminated food can have lasting consequences for children. Substances such as lead and met...