Editor's Note [Volume 24 No. 6 (2024)]

https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.131.ED141

Only Safe Food is Food

The United Nations defines food security as ability to afford and access food that is safe, nutritious, enough and culturally acceptable. For decades we worried about many world citizens going hungry, and we still do. Increasingly, severe weather events are rendering food inaccessible: stored food and crops in the fields are destroyed by severe weather events while livestock dye under scorching heat or are washed away by floods. Food already harvested also goes bad in unfavorable conditions, even before it is stored. Clearly, food safety becomes a challenge here. And then, if food is not safe, it poses health risks. It becomes poisonous to the human body. Sometimes people feed it to domestic animals, which is a bad decision especially if such animals are meant for human consumption. There are more illnesses that are food borne and water borne than is imagined. Many consumers take a lot of chances with food and sellers know this. As consumers, we trust produce suppliers too much. Knowing where your fresh produce is sourced is very important. Vegetables could look good even when they are full of harmful microorganisms. It is also advisable to establish a regular supplier and let them know your expectations. There are also consumers who might self-poison with food which has gone bad in the refrigerator. Such food might not look or smell spoiled. Yet it might cause problems when consumed. I would recommend one reads extensively on food safety, including how to properly store excess food. And if you have no means to store it, just give it away. And the freezer, will it store food forever? Look in your freezer today and comb through it to see what food you forgot about.

Prof. Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, AJFAND
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8344-9093