Foodleader News: Highlights from March and April 2026
Summary of the FoodLeader project’s progress from March and April 2026.
Over 40 students completed the FoodLeader practical course at the University of Nairobi
The FoodLeader practical course, Food Safety and Nutrition Security for Sustainable Development, was successfully conducted at the University of Nairobi between May 16thto May 27th. Before participating in the course, students also studied online learning materials for learning the theory about food systems and sustainable development and dietary and food sample data collection as well as how to analyse and interpret the data via the DigiCampus Platform. Additionally, Dr. Noora Kanerva and Prof. Ndegwa Maina supported the practical course in Nairobi.
During the course, students learned how to conduct anthropometric measurements and 24-hour recalls in practice. The students visited the local primary school, where they gained valuable experience interviewing and measuring the school-aged children to assess their nutritional status. The students also learned how to analyse mycotoxins and pesticides in food samples. They completed group work focusing on the different key nutrients or food hazards (For example: aflatoxin M1 (mycotoxin), imidacloprid (pesticide), metalaxyl (pesticide), total energy intake, zinc, and vitamin A).
The highlight of the practical course was the stakeholder seminar that was organized on 27th of March at the University of Nairobi, Kabete campus. During this seminar, students got an opportunity to present the results to the school representatives and discuss the different possible solutions. Based on the status of the intake of nutrients and exposure to food hazards and main challenges among school children One key solution was to organize “healthy school clubs” for the school-aged children to teach them about healthy food options and the importance of the school meals.
Launch of the Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) at University of Nairobi
During the practical course, we organized an official gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) launch at the University of Nairobi on May 26th. The event began with an introduction to the FoodLeader Project by Dr. Noora Kanerva, who presented the project’s goals and introduced the FoodLeader experts. This was followed by welcome remarks the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Moses Nyangito as well as a representative from the Finnish Embassy. Participants then visited the laboratories led by Prof. Ndegwa and Prof. Catherine Njungu. The event concluded with a stakeholder engagement and networking session, where participants connected, shared ideas, and discussed opportunities for future collaboration.
Laboratory updates from the Universidade de Lúrio
Preparations for the GC-M installation in Mozambique are currently underway. Progress has also been made in laboratory readiness, including the installation of iron windows and doors, which is expected to be completed before machine installation.
Key Achievements
- The successful conduct of the practical course at the University of Nairobi marked significant achievements for the project.
- Launch of the GC-MS machine at the University of Nairobi
