Coffee is among the most widely consumed beverages in the world. The consumption of coffee has been receiving a lot of attention in regards its potential health benefits and risks as well. Caffeine and phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acids are some of the most investigated constituents from coffee. It has been attributed various properties to those compounds such as central nervous system stimulant and antioxidants respectively. Coffee is in fact a very complex mixture that varies according with the origin of the beans and roasting process.

Objective: This study analysed the narrative of the family structure, the status of Druze-women, and the ability of those women to adapt to diabetes and manage it successfully.

Design and setting: Qualitative-research, of the Druze women with Diabetes, Diabetes prevalence in the Arab population in Israel is around 20%, whereas the prevalence of diabetes in the general population in Israel approximates 7.2%.

Subjects: 15 Druze-women suffering from type 2 diabetes, aged 30-70, with varying personal and socio-demographic characteristics, who were hospitalized in the "Ziv-hospital-Safed", as well as in the community, were interview.

Results: Most of the respondents described the family structure and the Druze-society, the relationships and the communication within the family as obstacles that prevent them from managing their diabetes successfully. A small number of them indicated that the family might constitute a support factor. The obstacles impeding the women’s ability to maintain a healthy diet and to engage in physical activity, the woman’s role in the family, self-efficacy, perception of the dangers involved, culture and religion, relationships and lack of direct communication with their significant other.

Conclusions: Druze-women, suffering from diabetes, managing her diabetes are subject to the influence of her role and status within the family, her self-restraint, her position in the decision-making process, the influence of the culture and society upon her life, her perception of the disease, as well as the influence of the religion. Therefore, there is a need for empowering the Druze-women which would in turn enable them to manage their diabetes better.

Introduction: The health behaviors of children and young people have been of interest to many researchers, especially in recent years. A proper lifestyle, which includes proper eating habits, is considered the basis for the health status of adolescents and adults should be monitored to ensure children’s correct physical and psychological development

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the nutritional status of randomly selected respondents (boys and girls) living in areas around Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A simple random sample of 400 respondents with age between 6 and 19 years (200 boys and 200 girls) were selected randomly from sampling frame using random numbers table. Two types of data were collected; socioeconomic and anthropometric data. Data about the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents' families was collected through personal interview using a questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements of the respondents were taken. Food frequency and 24-hour recall method was used to evaluate their daily food intake.

Results: The respondents’ average daily intake of dietary fiber and copper was significantly (P≤0.01) lowers than that of the DRI. For boys the average daily intake of vitamin D and E and calcium was significantly (P≤0.01) lower than that of the DRI and only folate for girls. Their intake of other nutrients was significantly higher than that of the DRI (unbalanced meals). 41.5% of boys and 46% of girls were underweight and 6.5% of boys and 4.5% of girls were suffered from severe malnutrition. Apart from the family monthly income, age, father’s education and mother’s work none of the hypothesized predictors of the respondents' nutritional status were found to be significantly correlated with the respondents' nutritional status indicators. However, mother work negatively correlated with the girls’ nutritional status.

Conclusion: The study revealed that more than 40% of the respondents were overweight due to the fact that both respondents average daily intake of carbohydrates, protein and saturated and unsaturated fat was significantly higher than that of the DRI, while the amount of some vitamins and minerals was significantly lower than that of the DRI. None of the hypothesized predictors of the respondents' nutritional status were found to be significantly and negatively correlated with the students' nutritional status indicators except mother work.

Contamination of food and feed by fungi and the mycotoxins they produce are of common occurrence in Africa. Lifelong exposure of a large proportion of Sub-Saharan African population to food borne mycotoxins is a reality and a serious problem. Countries in Africa lack capacity to enforce food safety regulations, and so face frequent rejection of exportable products leading to economic loss.

Improving food safety is an essential element for improving food security. A brief review is made on some issues concerning food security, namely sustainable agriculture, disruptions in the food supply chain and trade. We highlight a major agricultural threat in Sub-Saharan countries which are mycotoxins. There are different types of toxicity. These toxins are among the most potent substances known to pose acute toxicity, chronic health risks due to hepatotoxicity, immunosuppression, nephrotoxicity, estrogenic, teratogenic and/or carcinogenic effects. Prolonged exposure has been linked with liver cancer, poor nutrient absorption, retarded infant growth, malnutrition and immunosuppression.

Although the literature on mycotoxins is abundant in reports investigating cellular mechanisms, cellular toxicity, associated pathology and animal performance, studies on the effect of these compounds on general sub nutrition and on the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans is limited. The fight against mycotoxins involves the whole food chain namely the critical control points.

An innovative and promising solution of technological biocontrol for reducing mycotoxins is arising and under test. However, we question on the impact of this technology on biodiversity, food safety and nutrition security and enhance the need for more studies in order to evaluate its potential utilization.