Increasing agricultural and food trade is often considered means for food safety risks to spread more rapidly. Also climate change has a potential effect on prevalence of foodborne diseases including zoonosis. Risks are also often used as a pretext for protectionism. Therefore, commensurate and reliable rules become more and more important. We have created an analytical framework which aims at structuring the interrelations between international agricultural and food trade and food safety. According to the results there is a direct connection between agricultural and food trade and food safety. The severity of food safety risks depends on e.g. the nature of the traded goods and the magnitude of the effects of changes in trade and consumption on food system. Furthermore, the study suggests that preventing and minimising the effects of food safety crises are of utmost importance to the society and preparedness for such events is mandatory.