Economical, Legal and Socio-Cultural Approaches to Geophagia

Geophagia, which is a phenomenon of earth-eating, was defined as the deliberate ingestion of soil or clay, and related materials by man and animals. Corresponding to recent findings in medicine it can target the neutralization of aflatoxins in food. Geophagia was considered as a very common feature of everyday life in Asian and African countries with deep ethnical and traditional roots. The aim of this research is to investigate the legal basis and to assess the socio – cultural basement and economical potential of the phenomenon of geophagia. As the result of the research some approaches to the adjustment of such phenomenon to the challenges of the current situation including industrial and anthropogenic influences were proposed. Consideration of the phenomenon of geophagia as a part of ethnomedicine with the necessity of governmental support of follow- up research and educational programs for people in communities, in which geophagia is widespread was proved.