Food Science and Technology Association- Myanmar

Food Safety Under Pressure: Lessons from Myanmar’s Recent Crises

Myanmar is facing an unprecedented convergence of food safety and public health threats. The ongoing acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and cholera outbreak that began in mid-2024, compounded by the disruptive earthquakes in March 2025, has exposed long-standing vulnerabilities in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems, food handling practices, and regulatory oversight. For food science professionals, industry leaders and policymakers, these crises underscore an urgent truth: safeguarding food safety is not a peripheral issue, but a core pillar of public health and national resilience.

AWD / Cholera: A Warning Signal on Water and Food Safety

Reports from international agencies, including WHO and UNICEF, have documented the AWD and cholera outbreak that began in mid-2024 and continued into 2025. While cholera is often discussed primarily as a waterborne disease, the links to food safety are direct and critical. Contaminated water is frequently used for washing raw foods, preparing meals, making ice, and cleaning utensils in homes, food stalls and small-scale food businesses. Inadequate hand hygiene and poor sanitation in food preparation areas amplify the risk.

For Myanmar, where informal markets and street foods play a major role in daily diets, this outbreak is a clear alarm. It highlights weaknesses in basic hygiene practices, limited access to safe water, and gaps in food safety awareness among both vendors and consumers. It is not enough to focus on clinical treatment; preventing future outbreaks requires addressing the safety of the entire food and water chain.

Earthquakes, Displacement and the Fragility of WASH Systems

The earthquakes of March 2025 brought another layer of complexity. Shaken infrastructure, displacement of communities and damage to water supply systems and sanitation facilities have severely strained WASH services in affected areas. In temporary shelters and crowded camps, safe drinking water, adequate latrines, and proper waste disposal are often limited or disrupted.

Under these conditions, the risks of waterborne and foodborne diseases increase sharply. Food may be prepared in makeshift environments without reliable access to clean water, refrigeration or pest control. Cold chains are interrupted, food storage is improvised, and contaminated surface water may be used for cooking and cleaning. For infants, older people and those with chronic illness, the health consequences can be severe.

Disaster response efforts therefore cannot stop at providing emergency food rations. They must also incorporate food safety considerations: safe water provision, clear guidance on hygienic food preparation in temporary settings, and rapid risk assessments for food distribution sites. Food scientists and technologists have a vital role in informing these interventions with evidence-based recommendations that are practical in low-resource, emergency contexts.

Water Contamination and Arsenic: The Hidden Threat

Beyond acute outbreaks and disasters, Myanmar faces a quieter but equally serious challenge: chronic contamination of water sources. In several parts of the country, studies and monitoring activities have reported concerns about naturally occurring contaminants such as arsenic in groundwater. When contaminated water is used for drinking, cooking or irrigation, it becomes a long-term food safety and public health issue.

Arsenic and other chemical contaminants do not cause immediate, dramatic symptoms like cholera, but their cumulative effects over years can contribute to cancers, cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. They may also enter the food chain when crops are irrigated with contaminated water. Addressing this requires a combination of water quality monitoring, risk communication to affected communities, and practical mitigation strategies such as alternative water sources, appropriate treatment technologies and careful selection of irrigation practices.

The Role of Food Science, Industry and FoSTA Myanmar

Against this backdrop, food science professionals, researchers and the food industry in Myanmar have a crucial, multi-layered role to play. Key priorities include:

• Strengthening food safety standards and implementation: Supporting the development, adaptation and enforcement of science-based standards that address microbial and chemical hazards, from farm to table, including informal markets.
• Improving hygienic practices in food handling: Designing and delivering practical training for food handlers, street vendors and small enterprises on hand hygiene, safe water use, temperature control, cross-contamination prevention and waste management.
• Innovating for low-resource settings: Developing simple, low-cost technologies and protocols for water treatment, safe storage, and food preservation that can be applied in rural areas, displacement settings and small businesses.
• Advancing surveillance and research: Collaborating on surveillance of foodborne diseases and contaminants, and conducting applied research that links laboratory findings with real-world, community-level solutions.

FoSTA Myanmar and its members are uniquely positioned to convene expertise across these areas. As a national professional association, FoSTA can facilitate dialogue between academia, industry, government, humanitarian actors and communities, helping to translate global guidance into practical action for Myanmar’s diverse contexts.

A Call to Action for Myanmar’s Food Science Community

The AWD and cholera outbreaks, the March 2025 earthquakes, and the ongoing challenges of water contamination collectively send a clear message: food safety cannot wait. It must be integrated into emergency preparedness, health system planning, agricultural policy and private sector practice.

FoSTA Myanmar calls on its members and partners to intensify collaboration, share data and best practices, and champion food safety as a national priority. By working together to strengthen standards, improve hygienic practices, innovate for resource-limited settings and deepen research, Myanmar’s food science community can help protect lives today and build a safer, more resilient food system for the future.