Studies on plantain chips fried with varietal stored tiger nut oil were studied. Three different tiger nut cultivars were sourced from Benue state and their oil extracted using hexane in an extractor. The stored oils were used to fry plantain chips after potatoes slicing and oil quality and stability analyzed. The moisture values of the chips from 0 week to week 12 for sample (A) ranged between 2.09-2.41 and 2.08-3.48 for samples (B) and (C) respectively .The thiobarbituric acid value from zero week - week12 for sample B O ranged between 0.19-0.21malon mg, sample BO ranged between 0.27-0.36 malon mg, while sample C ranged between 0.23-0.24malom mg. The appearance, aroma, taste, texture and overall acceptability of the chips ranged between 6.25-7.40, 6.20-6.55, 6.30-6.45, 6.20-6.55 and 6.15-6.55 respectively. Sample A and CKO (control) was most preferred in terms of appearance, aroma, taste, texture (crispness) and overall acceptability while sample A and C was least preferred. The sensory scores of the plantain chips fried with the oil were high for taste and aroma. During the storage, moisture values and thiobarbituric acid values of the chips were within the limits as recommended by CODEX Alimentarius.

Dehydration is an important health issue and is more commonly observed in older people than younger ones. Dehydration occurs when there is excess fluid loss of fluid from the body, as a result of exposure to high temperatures, sickness, inadequate fluid intake and use of diuretic medicines. The symptoms of dehydration can range from simple dizziness and confusion to seizures and death. Elderly people should avoid coffee, tea, and alcohol in large quantizes, and also must get enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. It is imperative that water and healthy drinks should be made easily available to the elderly at all times. In addition to water, fruit and juice, syrups, vegetables, vegetable juice and pottages, tea, milk, and dairy products, plant-based beverages and also soups should be given to the elderly people. It is advised that elderly must consume more fluid during the summer season.

Despite the enormous advances in our ability to manage the natural world, we have reached the 21st century in awesome ignorance of what is likely to unfold in terms of both the climate changes and the human activities that affect the environment and the responses of the Earth to these stimuli. Globally the prospects of increasing the gross cultivated area are limited by the decease of economically attractive sites for large-scale irrigation and drainage projects. Therefore, increase in food production will necessarily rely on a more accurate application of the crop water requirements on the one hand, and modernization and improvement of irrigation and drainage systems on the other hand. These issues have to be analysed in light of the expected impacts of climate change and environmental sustainability. The present Editorial analyses the relevant aspects of these issues in light of the need to increase food production and for sustainable agricultural environment.

Rice is the most widely consumed food for a large part of the world containing a variety of essential nutrients, but can also be contaminated with toxics like arsenic. This study analyzes the effect of cooking and frying, processed in the consumer’s kitchen, on arsenic concentrations Firstly, arsenic concentrations were measured in a number of rice species from Thailand and Turkey, available in supermarkets. The effect of cooking was studied in both white and brown rice with time of cooking and rice: water ratio as recommended by the producer. Part of the cooked rice was fried together with other ingredients for the preparation of the popular dish nasi goreng. Arsenic concentrations were measured with instrumental neutron activation analysis. Only one of the ten analyzed species contained an arsenic concentration beyond the European maximum limit of 0.3 mg/kg. Cooking of white rice resulted in a decrease of the arsenic concentration by 46%, while the concentration in brown rice was reduced by 27%. The preparation of the fried rice dish nasi goreng resulted in an additional reduction by 20% per weight unit, which should be attributed for the most part to a diluting effect by the addition of the other ingredients. Heating of rice without water reduced the arsenic concentration only by 10%. Cooking and frying of rice according to recommendations by the producer, result in a significant reduction of the arsenic concentration.