diff --git a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua
index 1e3d07a47..3a7af7e67 100644
--- a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua
+++ b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua
@@ -139,15 +139,9 @@ end)
 
 local food_tick_timers = {}		--one food_tick_timer per player, keys are the player-objects
 minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
-	for _,player in ipairs(minetest.get_connected_players()) do
+	for _,player in pairs(minetest.get_connected_players()) do
 	
-		local food_tick_timer = food_tick_timers[player]
-		if food_tick_timer == nil then
-			food_tick_timer = 0
-		else
-			food_tick_timer = food_tick_timer + dtime
-		end
-		
+		local food_tick_timer = food_tick_timers[player] and food_tick_timers[player] + dtime or 0
 		local player_name = player:get_player_name()
 		local food_level = mcl_hunger.get_hunger(player)
 		local food_saturation_level = mcl_hunger.get_saturation(player)
@@ -157,15 +151,14 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 			food_tick_timer = 0
 			
 			if food_level >= 18 and player_health < 20 then		--slow regenration
-				food_tick_timer = 0
 				player:set_hp(player_health+1)
 				mcl_hunger.exhaust(player_name, mcl_hunger.EXHAUST_REGEN)
 				mcl_hunger.update_exhaustion_hud(player, mcl_hunger.get_exhaustion(player))
 			
 			elseif food_level == 0 then		--starvation
-				maximumStarvation = 1		--the amount of health at which a player will stop to get harmed by starvation (10 for Easy, 1 for Normal, 0 for Hard)
+				local maximum_starvation = 1		--the amount of health at which a player will stop to get harmed by starvation (10 for Easy, 1 for Normal, 0 for Hard)
 				-- TODO: implement Minecraft-like difficulty modes and the update maximumStarvation here
-				if player_health > maximumStarvation then
+				if player_health > maximum_starvation then
 					mcl_util.deal_damage(player, 1, {type = "starve"})
 				end
 			end