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  • Publication | 2026
How effective are laws and regulations in improving food safety and quality?
Global Food and Nutrition Security

Food safety is essential for nutrition as foodborne diseases and malnutrition are linked in a vicious cycle. Fresh fruits, vegetables and animal source foods are often contaminated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by microbiological and chemical hazards due to inadequate hygiene practices and industrialised agri-food systems (pesticides, heavy metals, antimicrobial residues linked to resistance to antimicrobials). While laws and regulations are effective in high-income countries (HICs) to ensure public health, their effectiveness is questioned in LMICs given the high levels of contaminants in food, often exceeding statutory limits. Using an original analytical framework, which combines policy analysis and political economy of food chains, this research study aims to answer the question: how effective are laws and regulations in improving food safety and quality? The study focusses on fresh fruits and vegetables and processed fish in Côte d’Ivoire and milk in Kenya, which are of critical socioeconomic importance. The assessment of the food safety of these products gives a first indication of the effectiveness of the current laws and regulations in ensuring safe foods. Different aspects of the regulatory framework are then analysed to understand what the barriers to effectiveness are: the way laws and regulations are designed, issues of coordination in their implementation, and enforcement capacities.