"This is in the interests of all of us," Brundtland told a Geneva conference of the United Nations' food safety body, the Codex Alimentarius.

"Over the past decade, there have been serious outbreaks of food-borne disease on every continent."

Officials of the two agencies, which jointly set up Codex 40 years ago, say the danger of such diseases spreading far beyond national borders is multiplied by the freer trade and movement of people that has come with globalisation.

They argue that close cooperation between rich and poor states is also vital to counter any effort by international terrorists to use chemical or biological agents to poison sources of globally traded food.

The new fund, managed by the Geneva-based WHO and the Rome-based FAO, will primarly finance participation of experts and officials from poorer developing countries in Codex work on setting and implementing world food safety standards.

"But the implications go far beyond that," said Jorgen Schlundt, Director of the WHO's Food Safety Department.

"By having all countries fully involved, we ensure that they can build up their own capacity to establish and maintain the food safety controls that will help them trade their produce and develop their economies," he told reporters.

The fund, under discussion for some two years, aims to gather some $3-$5 million a year for the next 12 years. But so far only Switzerland - with an initial $37,000 - and Norway, with $100,000, have made contributions.

Non-governmental consumer organisations had voiced fears that, in the absence of financing from governments, the WHO and FAO would accept money from food industry firms who might then try to influence Codex decisions.

But officials of the two agencies assured the conference that any funding from private sources, if it became necessary to make up a shortfall, would be subject to strict controls.