Foreword [Volume 14 No. 7 (2014)]

Today is 22nd December 2014, a day when we release our issue 67, the last AJFAND issue of the year.

In this issue we have 8 great papers, exceptionally well reviewed, covering diverse subjects.

Peer Reviewed Articles:

• Susceptibility of mycotoxigenic fungi to commercial fungicides, a potential tool for mycotoxin control in maize in Kenya.
  Josephat Tonui et al.
  [Kenya]

• Nutraceutical perspectives and utilization of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): A review.
  Vincent Nyau
  [Zambia]

• Alkylating efficiency of sodium azide on pod yield, nut size and nutrition composition of samnut 10 and samnut 20 varieties of groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.).
  David Animasaun et al.
  [Nigeria]

• Anemia and associated factors among school-age children in Cape Verde, West Africa.
  Gloria Valeria Da Veiga et al.
  [Brazil]

• The value of enhancing nutrient bioavailability of lentils: The Sri Lankan scenario.
  Anoma Ariyawardana et al.
  [Australia]

• Nutrient composition and suitability of four commonly used local complementary foods in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
  Thomas Oladejo Adepoju and AU Etukumoh
  [Nigeria]

• Nutritional quality, phytochemical composition and health protective effects of an under-utilized prickly cactus fruit (Opuntia stricta haw.) collected from Kenya.
  Catherine Kunyanga et al.
  [Kenya]

• Influence of fruit maturity on antioxidant potential and chilling injury resistance of peach fruit (Prunus persica) during cold storage.
  Courage Sedem Dzah
  [Ghana]

Short Communication: Graham Lyons, Australia
Selenium needed for Ebola treatment?

To remind of 2014 AJFAND issues, they were:
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 61
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 62
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 63
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 64
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 65
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 66
AJFAND Volume 14 No. 1 (2014) - Issue 67

As always, the website is rich with interesting information and news.

We have featured some young professionals, including those I mentor. For example, I helped to establish the Nutrition Course at Great Lakes University some 4+ years ago, and now I serve as the university's Chair of the Governing Council. I make time to work with the Head of Department for Nutrition, to encourage students in their pursuit of a profession in Nutrition. Every so often those young students will be featured in AJFAND, one or two at a time.

In this issue, I am featuring BIFAD, which held a panel discussion in Des Moines Iowa in October this year at the World Food Prize Dialogue. They invited me on the panel where I was privildged to meet Dr Brady Deaton and Dr David Bathrick. We have carried their contributions in this issue. At the panel discussion, I shared my own experience of more than 4 decades ago when I won the ASPAU ( African Scholarship Programme to American Universities) scholarship from the US Government to study Food and Nutrition in a USAID supported program in collaboration with my own government which paid my way to the USA and promised to give me a job on my way back. Those types of nice things used to happen; so what went wrong? I am not sure the promises are honoured like before. And what happened to serious capacity building and training, and revamping of university learning facilities including libraries and laboratories?

Ebola: It is still here with us. With issue 66 of AJFAND, I sent out a passionate message about Ebola and the impact it is having on Africa and Africans. I received a lot of feedback, and it was encouraging feedback. One of the responses is presented as SHORT COMMUNICATION by Graham Lyons. Well, guess what? Ebola is still with us even though it seems to have left the international news radar already! Look, there is so far no Ebola in Kenya, yet in some cases we are treated as if there has been. Like I said last time, we need a cure, and a vaccine and we pray for a breakthrough soon! Our brethren in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are in a bad situation. It is going to take a long time to recover even when it is all over.

Food safety is a big concern now and we have a paper in this issue on aflatoxin; coincidentally, there is also a call for papers to go into a special issue on Aflatoxins in East Africa. Please see the Call: AJFAND Special Issue: Call for papers for special edition on aflatoxins in East Africa

We have profiled one Kenyan, Joan Saina and two Ghanians: Prof Emmanuel Afoakwa, and Dr Bolanle Akiwande, both of them linked to the AWARD program, one as a mentor and the other first as a mentee and now as a mentor. They both serve as AJFAND reviewers. We are proud of all our supporters.

It is a great day when we can send our friends and supporters, Christmas greetings and best wishes for the holidays and the NEW Year. Many have so far wished me the same, many have proceeded on end- of- year holidays and have already closed down their official email contacts.

Well, they will hopefully find this message when they get back. But, there are also many like me who are working until the very end, and so you can receive my live message. I wish you and your loved ones the best Christmas ever! And great holidays! I thank each one for being a friend and for your support in 2014. I look forward to greater collaboration and enhanced friendship in 2015.

Ruth Oniang’o
Editor-in-Chief, AJFAND