food

Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis: Nigeria The Nigerian Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) provides an in-depth assessment of the food security situation within Nigeria. This is very important as it equips policymakers with timely and relevant information that will aid the targeting of interventions. Some of the most pertinent findings of the study are listed below: • Food insecurity and poverty are intricately linked. Some 29 percent of households in the poorest wealth quintiles have unacceptable diets (9 percent poor and 20 percent borderline) compared with 15 percent in the wealthiest (2 percent poor and 13 percent borderline). • The poorest livelihoods are found in agriculture. Seventy-seven percent of subsistence farmers are found in the two poorest wealth quintiles, as are 70 percent of mixed or cash crop farmers. • The general state of water and sanitation facilities available to households in all wealth categories is very poor, with consequent health implications. Forty-five percent of respondents do not have access to decent toilets, and 85 percent have no proper means of refuse disposal. • The vulnerable and food insecure are mostly found in rural areas and the North West and North East regions of Nigeria. • Most households in all regions and at all wealth levels purchase food, but rural households and poorer households (by wealth and livelihood) also rely heavily on own food production. Households in the poorest quintiles in both rural and urban areas rely on own production (32 percent rural and 24 percent urban). Wealthier urban households rely mostly on purchases, whereas own production is common at varying levels across all wealth levels for rural households. • Nigerians generally consume a starchy diet, but wealthier households can afford more nutrient-rich foods (including animal-based proteins) than poorer households. For instance, the wealthiest households consume meat, fish, and eggs an average of four days a week compared with only two days for the poorest households. • Most households protect vulnerable household members in terms of food allocations (women and children), but that may not hold in the poorest households where some difficult allocation decisions may have to be made. • Poorer households are more likely to engage in extreme coping strategies (like going a whole day without food) to deal with food shortages. Availability of Food Food science makes it possible for the majority of the world’s current population of 7 billion to have much greater access to an abundant, diverse food supply that is largely safe, flavorful, nutritious, convenient and less costly than ever before. Food sciencjavascript:void(0);e is becoming even more important as the world population expands. Within the next 50 years, it is expected to be over 9 billion. Preservation Drying, canning, preservation, and refrigeration (including chilling and freezing), are all examples of food processing techniques that help keep food edible after harvested for extended periods of time. Alternative preservation technologies, such as high pressure processing, have been developed during the past 15 – 20 years to meet consumers’ growing demand for safe, fresh and highly nutritious foods. Quality Taste, aroma, texture, color and nutrient content all contribute to the quality of food. In most cases, these attributes begin to decline as soon as raw food materials or ingredients are harvested or collected. Processes adapted from food science help to minimize this decline. Nutrition Processed foods and beverages can have positive nutrient benefits beyond those of the raw or home-prepared product. Some processed products such as frozen vegetables, are often a better value for the consumer. Convenience The food system has drastically changed over the years from one centered around family food production on individual farms and home food preservation to the modern system of today where it’s possible to walk into a grocery store and buy food that requires little or no preparation. Disease Prevention Rickets, once considered an extremely common disorder of childhood, is caused by a deficiency of vitamin D. Fortification of dairy and other products have virtually eliminated this disease. Fortification of foods such as cereal, bread and pasta with folic acid, a B vitamin that helps make healthy new cells, has helped reduce the risk of serious birth defects. Sustainability Commercial food manufacturing operations are more efficient in the conversion of raw materials into consumer products than home processing and preparation. Through life-cycle assessments of the environmental impacts of the food system, waste-management practices are being refined and improved further. Food Safety Food processing is designed to remove health hazards associated with microbial pathogens. Pasteurization of milk is just one of many examples of processes that reduce the risk of foodborne illness and extend shelf life. FROM IFT o Feeding the World Today and Tomorrow: The Importance of Food Science and Technology o IFT interview with John Floros on Feeding a Growing Population o Interview with World Food Prize winner Phil Nelson on Feeding the World Through Food Science o Video: What is food science? o Video: Food Storage and Shelf Live Can You Imagine? What a world without food science would look like: - No way to keep food fresh - Nutrition would be a guessing game - Food would look and taste bad - Food would cost a lot more - Dinner would take all day to prepare - Food would be unsafe to eat - There wouldn't be enough food for everyone The good news? Thousands of dedicated food science professionals, are preventing this frightening scenario from becoming a reality. They are developing safe, nutritious, healthy and plentiful food that consumers eat everyday.