The potential of neglected and underutilized species for improving diets and nutrition

Multitargeted pharmacokinetics, molecular docking and network pharmacology-based identification of effective phytocompounds from Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr for inflammation and cancer treatment

According to worldwide health data, cancer, and inflammatory illnesses are on the rise and are among the most common causes of death. Across the world, these types of health problems are now considered top priorities for government health organizations. Hence, this study aimed to investigate medicinal plants' potential for treating cancer and inflammatory disorders. This network pharmacology analysis aims to learn more about the potential targets and mechanisms of action for the bioactive ingredients in Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr L. The compound-target network and protein-protein interaction analysis were built using the STRING database. Using Network Analyst, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes, pathway enrichment was performed on the hub genes. 1-hexadecanol was shown to inhibit drug-metabolizing enzymes in a pharmacokinetic investigation. Those samples of 1-hexadecanol were found to be 1-hexadecanol (BBB 0.783), GI High, Pgp Substrate Yes, CYP2C19 Inhibitor Yes, CYP2D6 Yes, and HI -89.803. The intermolecular binding energies for 1-hexadecanol (4-DRI, -8.2 kcal/mol) are evaluated. These results from a study on S. androgynus used molecular docking and network pharmacology to gain insight into the prime target genes and potential mechanisms identified for AKT1, mTOR, AR, PPID, FKBP5, and NR3C1. The PI3K-Akt signalling pathway has become an important regulatory node in various pathological processes requiring coordinated actions. Stability and favourable conformations have been resolved by considering nonbonding interactions such as electrostatic and hydrogen bonds in MD simulations of the perfect molecules using the Desmond package. Thus, using an appropriate platform of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro experiments, this study provides for the first time a clearer knowledge of the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory molecular bioactivities of S. androgynus. Further in vitro and in vivo confirmations are strongly needed to determine the efficacy and therapeutic effects of 1-hexadecanol in the biological process.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The nexus between ecology of foraging and food security: cross-cultural perceptions of wild food plants in Kashmir Himalaya

BACKGROUND

Wild food plants (WFPs) play an important role in the traditional dietary habits of various indigenous communities worldwide, particularly in mountainous regions. To understand the dynamics of food preferences, cross-cultural studies on food plants should be conducted across diverse ethnic groups in a given area. In this context, the current study investigated the use of WFPs by seven different cultural groups in the Kashmir Himalayan Region. In this area, people gather wild plants and their parts for direct consumption, traditional foods, or sale in local markets. Despite this reliance, documentation of the food system, especially concerning WFPs, is notably lacking. Hence, our research aimed to document WFPs, along with associated traditional ecological knowledge, and identify major threats to their long-term sustainability in Division Muzaffarabad.

METHODS

Through a comprehensive approach involving questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and market surveys, we gathered data from 321 respondents. PCA was performed to analyze threats and plant use using "factoextra" in R software. Origin Pro was used to create a chord diagram, while R software was used to generate a Polar heat map. Additionally, a Venn diagram was created using Bioinformatics software.

RESULTS

The study included 321 informants, of whom 75.38% were men and 24.61% were women. In total, 113 plant taxa from 74 genera and 41 botanical families were reported. Polygonaceae and Rosaceae accounted for the majority (17 species each), followed by Lamiaceae (7 species). Leaves were the most used part as food sources (41.04%), followed by fruits (33.33%). Most of the species are consumed as cooked (46.46%) and as raw snacks (37.80%). A total of 47 plant species were collected and cooked as wild vegetables, followed by 40 species used as fruits. This study is the first to describe the market potential and ecological distribution of WFPs in the study area. Cross-comparison showed that utilization of WFPs varies significantly across the region and communities, including their edible parts and mode of consumption. Jaccard index (JI) value ranged from 5.81 to 25. Furthermore, the current study describes 29 WFPs and 10 traditional food dishes that have rarely been documented in Pakistan's ethnobotanical literature. Climate change, invasive species, expansion of agriculture, and plant diseases are some of the most significant threats to WFPs in the study area.

CONCLUSIONS

The older age group has more knowledge about WFPs compared to the younger generation, who are not interested in learning about the utilization of WFPs. This lack of interest in information about WFPs among the younger generation can be attributed to their limited access to markets and availability of food plants in the study area. Traditional gathering of food plants has been reduced in younger generations during recent years; therefore, it is crucial to develop effective conservation strategies. These efforts not only safeguard indigenous flora, food knowledge, and cultural heritage, but they also contribute to food security and public health by utilizing local wild foods in the examined area.

Physicochemical, nutritional properties, and antioxidant potential of 'limilla' fruit (Rhus aromatica var. schmidelioides (Schltdl.) Engl.)

Rhus aromatica inhabits humid oak and oakpine forests in the State of Michoacán (Mexico). The fruit of R. aromatica is edible and is traditionally used in the preparation of soft drinks, ice pops, ice creams and 'atole'. The objective of the present investigation was to carry out a physical and chemical characterization and analysis of the antioxidant capacity of fruit. For the physical characterization, the equatorial and longitudinal diameter, weight and percentage of pulp were determined. In the chemical characterization, a proximal analysis was carried out, quantification of polyphenols and flavonoids was performed, and the antioxidant capacity was determined. The results showed that the fruit had a longitudinal diameter of 6.58 ± 1.02 mm, an equatorial diameter of 7.17 ± 0.66, a weight of 55.22 ± 5.47 mg, and a 40 % pulp proportion. The chemical characterization analysis indicated 8.7 % moisture, 30.6 % lipids, 8.7 % proteins, 29.4 % total sugars, 3.8 % ashes and 18.7 % crude fibre, 3.1 °Brix, pH 3.1, 1.92 % acidity total and a caloric intake of 4.27 kcal/g. The polyphenol content was higher in 60 % ethanol extracts with 88.6 ± 50.89 mg EAG/g; for flavonoids from extracts with 100 % acetone, it was 26.52 ± 0.65 mg EQ/g, and the total carotenoid content was 46.37 mg/100 g. The total antioxidant activity was higher in extracts with 80 % acetone, with 87.17 % inhibition of the DPPH radical and 90 % inhibition of ABTS without showing a significant difference with the different solvents used. The lowest IC50 values were presented in 100 % ethanol and 60 % methanol extracts for the DPPH radical and for the ABTS radical were the 80 % ethanol and 60 % methanol extracts. The lipid, protein, carotenoid, and polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacity of the fruit of R. aromatica were as high as those of other fruits consumed in the human diet.

Underutilized plants increase biodiversity, improve food and nutrition security, reduce malnutrition, and enhance human health and well-being. Let's put them back on the plate!

The global food system depends on a limited number of plant species. Plants with unsatisfactory nutritional value are overproduced, whereas the wide variety of nutrient-rich plant species used in earlier times remains neglected. Basing our diet on a few crops has wide-ranging negative consequences on nutrition and food security. Although still under-researched, underutilized plants are slowly starting to receive increased recognition. These plants have superior nutritional content and immense potential to contribute to food and nutrition security and increased sustainability. This narrative review provides evidence to encourage the promotion, domestication, and commercialization of underutilized plants. The anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects of some of underutilized plants are presented in this review. The outstanding ability of forgotten plants to increase food and nutrition security, boost dietary diversity, reduce malnutrition, and enhance human health and well-being is demonstrated. The main barriers and obstacles to reintroducing underutilized foods are reviewed and recommendations for overcoming nutrition and dietary-related challenges for re-establishing underutilized plants into the global food system are presented. The expansion of underutilized plants for human use is of paramount importance. The exceptional nutritional properties, bioactive potential, and proven health benefits of underutilized plants indicate that increased promotion, domestication, and commercialization of these plants should be strongly supported. Besides health benefits, marginalized plants have the potential to enhance human well-being and improve people's lives in many ways, retain biodiversity, and develop local economies. Therefore, underutilized plants should be used in the broader context of well-balanced and healthy diets.

Exploring unconventional food plants used by local communities in a rural area of West Java, Indonesia: ethnobotanical assessment, use trends, and potential for improved nutrition

BACKGROUND

As one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, Indonesia contains over 25,000 plant species, including unconventional food plants (UFPs). These plants are integral to the dietary practices of rural communities, providing essential nutrients often overlooked in modern diets. However, the use of UFP is declining, with both their dietary and cultural values being undermined. In rural West Java, this decline in UFP biodiversity coincides with public health challenges related to malnutrition. This study aims to document the diversity of UFPs used by local communities in rural West Java, assess their nutritional value, and explore their consumption practices.

METHODS

Data were collected using mixed methods, including interviews with 20 key informants and food frequency questionnaire administered to 107 women in three villages in the area. The nutritional compositions of documented UFPs were obtained from literature and analysis. Bivariate correlation was used to analyze the relationships between UFP consumption frequency and potential correlates.

RESULTS

The study documented 52 species of UFPs from 29 families, many of which are rich in nutritional value. About half of respondents (56%) consumed UFPs moderately (2-3 times a week). UFP consumption frequency had a strong correlation (r = 0.70) with associated knowledge (r = 0.70, p < 0.01) and a weak correlation with age (r = 0.240, p = 0.015), livestock possession (r = 0.260, p = 0.008), and family size (r = - 0.220, p = 0.02). Motivations for UFP consumption included availability as free food (33%), medicinal value (26%), nostalgic value (23%), and preferred taste (18%). Most respondents (92%) agreed that consumption has declined compared to the past, with perceived reduced availability and lack of knowledge cited as the primary reasons for the declining trend.

CONCLUSIONS

UFP use is common in the study area, where local communities value these plants for their critical roles in diet, medicine, and culture. Given their significant potential to meet dietary needs, educating and raising awareness about UFPs can enhance their consumption and contribute to food and nutrition security.

B Vitamins: An Update on Their Importance for Plant Homeostasis

B vitamins are a source of coenzymes for a vast array of enzyme reactions, particularly those of metabolism. As metabolism is the basis of decisions that drive maintenance, growth, and development, B vitamin-derived coenzymes are key components that facilitate these processes. For over a century, we have known about these essential compounds and have elucidated their pathways of biosynthesis, repair, salvage, and degradation in numerous organisms. Only now are we beginning to understand their importance for regulatory processes, which are becoming an important topic in plants. Here, I highlight and discuss emerging evidence on how B vitamins are integrated into vital processes, from energy generation and nutrition to gene expression, and thereby contribute to the coordination of growth and developmental programs, particularly those that concern maintenance of a stable state, which is the foundational tenet of plant homeostasis.

Unraveling the Molecular Basis of Color Variation in Dioscorea alata Tubers: Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolomics Analysis

Dioscorea alata L. (Dioscoreaceae) is a widely cultivated tuber crop with variations in tuber color, offering potential value as health-promoting foods. This study focused on the comparison of D. alata tubers possessing two distinct colors, white and purple, to explore the underlying mechanisms of color variation. Flavonoids, a group of polyphenols known to influence plant color and exhibit antioxidant properties, were of particular interest. The total phenol and total flavonoid analyses revealed that purple tubers (PTs) have a significantly higher content of these metabolites than white tubers (WTs) and a higher antioxidant activity than WTs, suggesting potential health benefits of PT D. alata. The transcriptome analysis identified 108 differentially expressed genes associated with the flavonoid synthesis pathway, with 57 genes up-regulated in PTs, including CHS, CHI, DFR, FLS, F3H, F3'5'H, LAR, ANS, and ANR. The metabolomics analysis demonstrated that 424 metabolites, including 104 flavonoids and 8 tannins, accumulated differentially in PTs and WTs. Notably, five of the top ten up-regulated metabolites were flavonoids, including 6-hydroxykaempferol-7-O-glucoside, pinocembrin-7-O-(6″-O-malonyl)glucoside, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3,7,6-O-triglycoside, 6-hydroxykaempferol-7-O-triglycoside, and cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-feruloyl)sophoroside-5-O-glucoside, with the latter being a precursor to anthocyanin synthesis. Integrating transcriptome and metabolomics data revealed that the 57 genes regulated 20 metabolites within the flavonoid synthesis pathway, potentially influencing the tubers' color variation. The high polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of PTs indicate their suitability as nutritious and health-promoting food sources. Taken together, the findings of this study provide insights into the molecular basis of tuber color variation in D. alata and underscore the potential applications of purple tubers in the food industry and human health promotion. The findings contribute to the understanding of flavonoid biosynthesis and pigment accumulation in D. alata tubers, opening avenues for future research on enhancing the nutritional quality of D. alata cultivars.

Mainstreaming traditional fruits, vegetables and pulses for nutrition, income, and sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa: the case for Kenya and Ethiopia

This study documented existing knowledge on traditional fruits, vegetables and pulses in Kenya and Ethiopia. The aim was to identify neglected and underutilized species with high potential for food security, for their economic value and contribution to sustainable agriculture, based on a literature review and confirmation of existing data by local experts. In order of priority, the top 5 fruit species in Kenya are Tamarindus indica L., Adansonia digitata L., Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich.) Hochst, Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, and Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., for vegetables are Amaranthus spp., Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., Solanum spp., and Cleome gynandra L. Top fruits in Ethiopia are Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf., Cordeauxia edulis Hemsl., Cordia africana Lam., and Mimusops kummel A. DC., for vegetables are Brassica carinata A. Braun, Cucurbita pepo L., and Amaranthus spp. In both countries, priority pulse species (no ranking) are Phaseolus lunatus L., Sphenostylis stenocarpa (A.Rich.) Harms, Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC., Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet, and Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. Generally, these priority species are good sources of key nutrients known for their inadequate dietary intakes in sub-Saharan Africa, represent a safety net for household income, and contribute positively to ecosystem resilience in existing agricultural systems. Complete, accurate and reliable nutrient composition data are needed to raise consumer awareness about their nutritional and health benefits. Since women play a central role in traditional food systems, their empowerment, and hence resilience, increase the positive impact they can have on the households' dietary diversity. In particular, introducing small-scale processing techniques and marketing strategies could enhance their supply and consumption.

Prioritizing strategies for wheat biofortification: Inspiration from underutilized species

The relationship between malnutrition and climate change is still poorly understood but a comprehensive knowledge of their interactions is needed to address the global public health agenda. Limited studies have been conducted to propose robust and economic-friendly strategies to augment the food basket with underutilized species and biofortify the staples for nutritional security. Sea-buckthorn is a known "superfood" rich in vitamin C and iron content. It is found naturally in northern hemispherical temperate Eurasia and can be utilized as a model species for genetic biofortification in cash crops like wheat. This review focuses on the impacts of climate change on inorganic (iron, zinc) and organic (vitamin C) micronutrient malnutrition employing wheat as highly domesticated crop and processed food commodity. As iron and zinc are particularly stored in the outer aleurone and endosperm layers, they are prone to processing losses. Moreover, only 5% Fe and 25% Zn are bioavailable once consumed calling to enhance the bioavailability of these micronutrients. Vitamin C converts non-available iron (Fe3+) to available form (Fe2+) and helps in the synthesis of ferritin while protecting it from degradation at the same time. Similarly, reduced phytic acid content also enhances its bioavailability. This relation urges scientists to look for a common mechanism and genes underlying biosynthesis of vitamin C and uptake of Fe/Zn to biofortify these micronutrients concurrently. The study proposes to scale up the biofortification breeding strategies by focusing on all dimensions i.e., increasing micronutrient content and boosters (vitamin C) and simultaneously reducing anti-nutritional compounds (phytic acid). Mutually, this review identified that genes from the Aldo-keto reductase family are involved both in Fe/Zn uptake and vitamin C biosynthesis and can potentially be targeted for genetic biofortification in crop plants.

Discovering and Mapping Colloquial Terminologies Describing Underutilized and Neglected Food Crops-A Comprehensive Review

Global levels of biodiversity and dietary diversity are decreasing, leading to food and nutrition insecurity. This is partially due to the homogenization of the global food supply with commodity crops. The reintroduction or introduction of neglected and underutilized species, minor, forgotten, and indigenous crops and landrace varieties to the wider food systems and further diversification have been outlined as the future strategies for tackling the above by the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization in their policy frameworks. Most of the above species/crops are marginalized and only used across local food systems and in research. With over 15,000 different seed banks and repositories worldwide, information transparency and communication are crucial for database searching and their effective utilization. Much confusion persists around the true nature of those plants, and this prohibits the efficient utilization of their economic potential. A linguistic corpus search and a systematic literature review were conducted using the six most popular collocates to the above terms, which were as follows: ancient, heirloom, heritage, traditional, orphan, and the more distinct term 'landrace'. The results were interpreted using the Critical Discourse Analysis method. The definitions' findings show that heirloom, heritage, and ancient are mainly used in the United Kingdom and USA, where they are used to describe 'naturalized' and 'indigenized' or 'indigenous' food crops with a strong affiliation to 'family' and the 'act of passing seeds down from generation to generation'. Orphan crops, on the other hand, are often described as being 'overlooked' by growers and 'underfunded' by researchers. Landrace is most strongly affiliated with 'locality', 'biocultural diversity', and 'indigenous', and with genomics literature, where the characteristics are often discussed in the context of genetics and population biology. Contextualizing, most of the terms were found to be 'arbitrary' and 'undefinable' due to their continuing evolution in the socially accepted form of language, perhaps apart from landrace. The review has retrieved 58 definitions for the mentioned 6 terms, together with the primary key terms creating a tool to facilitate a better inter-sector communication and aid in policy.

An evaluation of nutrition, culinary, and production interventions using African indigenous vegetables on nutrition security among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya

Introduction

Nutrition security continues to worsen in sub-Saharan Africa. Current research is limited on how seasonality may influence the impact of nutrition, culinary, and production interventions on food security, diet quality, and consumption of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIV); a culturally accepted source of micro-and-macronutrients that are easily produced due to their adaptation to the local environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the programmatic impact of AIV interventions on nutrition security among smallholder farmers.

Methods

In a randomized control trial, five target counties in Western Kenya were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: (1) control; (2) production intervention (PI); (3) nutrition and culinary intervention (NCI); and (4) NCI and PI (NCI/PI). After the counties were randomly assigned to a treatment, 503 smallholder farmers (18-65 years) were selected from participatory farmer groups. The PI consisted of five agricultural production modules delivered between 2016 and 2019. The NCI was delivered twice: (1) household nutrition education (2017) and (2) community culinary training (2019). The NCI/PI included communities receiving both interventions at these time periods. Baseline and endline surveys were administered to all participants once in October 2016 (harvest season) and to all available participants (n = 250) once in June to July 2019 (dry season), respectively. The impact evaluation was analyzed by Household Hunger Scale (HHS), Women's Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS), AIV consumption frequency, and AIV market availability. Statistical tests included descriptive statistics (means and frequencies), paired t-test, McNemar's test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, ANOVA test with Tukey post hoc, and χ² test. Open-ended questions were aggregated, and responses were selected based on relevancy and thoroughness of the response to provide context to the quantitative data. A value of p < 0.05 was used to denote statistical significance.

Results

There was an overall decrease in WDDS, HHS, and consumption frequency between baseline and endline attributed to seasonal differences. Despite this, post-intervention, households that received NCI/PI had a higher WDDS relative to the control: WDDS 5.1 ± 1.8 vs. 4.2 ± 1.5, p = 0.035. In addition, between baseline and endline, there was an overall increase in the percentage of respondents that reported an adequate supply of key AIVs, particularly for households that received PI. Furthermore, seasonal effects caused a reported shift in the primary location for purchasing AIVs from the village to the town market. There was no reported difference in HHS. While "diet awareness" significantly influenced diet quality among the NCI treatment group, "production" was reported to have the greatest influence on diet quality among all intervention groups.

Discussion

The findings revealed that coupled nutrition, culinary, and production interventions could create a protective effect against seasonal fluctuations in the availability and affordability of AIV as evidenced by a higher WDDs.

Conclusion and Recommendations

These findings suggest that future programming and policy should focus on promoting the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of improved agronomic practices and germplasm for both smallholder farmers with particular emphasis on AIV varieties that contain high levels of micro-and macronutrients, improved agronomic characteristics (e.g., delayed flowering, multiple harvests, higher yields, and disease resistance), and are aligned with the communities' cultural preferences. In addition, agricultural training and extension services should incorporate nutrition and culinary interventions that emphasize the importance of farmers prioritizing harvests for their household consumption.

Indigenous communities' perceptions reveal threats and management options of wild edible plants in semiarid lands of northwestern Kenya

BACKGROUND

Understanding how local communities perceive threats and management options of wild edible plants (WEPs) is essential in developing their conservation strategies and action plans. Due to their multiple use values, including nutrition, medicinal, construction, and cultural as well as biotic and abiotic pressures, WEPs are exposed to overexploitation, especially within arid and semiarid lands, and hence the need to manage and conserve them. We demonstrate how an understanding of indigenous communities' perceptions could be achieved through an integrated participatory approach involving focus group discussions (FGDs) and field plot surveys.

METHODS

We conducted three FGDs between October 2020 and April 2021 within three community units in northwestern Kenya with different socioeconomic and environmental characteristics. We subsequently surveyed 240 field plots of size 1 ha each to assess threats facing WEPs within a 5 km buffer radius in every study community. We compared ranks of threats and management options across community units.

RESULTS

Rankings of threats and management options differed across the three study communities. We obtained strong positive linear relationships between field and FGD rankings of threats facing WEPs. Climate change, overstocking, overharvesting, and invasive species were the highest-ranked threats. Mitigation of climate change, local knowledge preservation, selection, propagation, processing, and marketing of WEPs ranked high among possible management options irrespective of the socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the community unit.

CONCLUSIONS

Our approach emphasizes the relevance of leveraging indigenous communities' perceptions and conducting field plot surveys to assess threats and management options for WEPs. Evaluating the effectiveness and cost-benefit implications of implementing the highly ranked management options could help determine potentially suitable habitats of the WEPs for conservation and management purposes, especially for priority WEPs.

M. Drummond E, Van Tassel DL, Warschefsky EJ. The next era of crop domestication starts now

Current food systems are challenged by relying on a few input-intensive, staple crops. The prioritization of yield and the loss of diversity during the recent history of domestication has created contemporary crops and cropping systems that are ecologically unsustainable, vulnerable to climate change, nutrient poor, and socially inequitable. For decades, scientists have proposed diversity as a solution to address these challenges to global food security. Here, we outline the possibilities for a new era of crop domestication, focused on broadening the palette of crop diversity, that engages and benefits the three elements of domestication: crops, ecosystems, and humans. We explore how the suite of tools and technologies at hand can be applied to renew diversity in existing crops, improve underutilized crops, and domesticate new crops to bolster genetic, agroecosystem, and food system diversity. Implementing the new era of domestication requires that researchers, funders, and policymakers boldly invest in basic and translational research. Humans need more diverse food systems in the Anthropocene-the process of domestication can help build them.

Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Gonostegia hirta: An Underexploited, Potentially Edible, Wild Plant

Wild, edible plants have received increasing attention as an important complement to cultivate vegetables, as they represent an easily accessible source of nutrients, mineral elements, and antioxidants. In this study, the tender stems and leaves of Gonostegia hirta, an edible species for which only scarce data are available in the literature, are thoroughly evaluated for their nutritional profile, chemical characterization, and antioxidant activity. Being considered as an underexploited, potentially edible plant, the nutritional composition of Gonostegia hirta was identified, and several beneficial compounds were highlighted: sugars, potassium, calcium, organic acids, fatty acids, phenolics, and flavonoids. A total of 418 compounds were identified by metabolomic analysis, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, lipids, organic acids, terpenoids, alkaloids, nucleotides, tannins, lignans, and coumarin. The plant sample was found to have good antioxidant capacities, presented by DPPH, FRAP, ABTS⁺, hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, and its resistance to the superoxide anion radical test. In general, Gonostegia hirta has a good nutritional and phytochemical composition. The health benefits of Gonostegia hirta as a vegetable and herbal medicine is important for both a modern diet and use in medication.

Quality Assessment of Burdekin Plum (Pleiogynium timoriense) during Ambient Storage

Pleiogynium timoriense, commonly known as Burdekin plum (BP), is among many Australian native plants traditionally used by Indigenous people. However, only limited information is available on the nutritional and sensory quality of BP grown in Australia as well as its changes during storage. Therefore, this study evaluated the quality of BP during one week of ambient storage (temperature 21 °C, humidity 69%). Proximate analysis revealed a relatively high dietary fiber content in BP (7-10 g/100 g FW). A significant reduction in fruit weight and firmness (15-30% and 60-90%, respectively) with distinguishable changes in flesh color (ΔE > 3) and an increase in total soluble solids (from 11 to 21 °Brix) could be observed during storage. The vitamin C and folate contents in BP ranged from 29 to 59 mg/100g FW and 0.3 to 5.9 μg/100g FW, respectively, after harvesting. A total phenolic content of up to 20 mg GAE/g FW and ferric reducing antioxidant power of up to 400 μmol Fe2+/g FW in BP indicate a strong antioxidant capacity. In total, 34 individual phenolic compounds were tentatively identified in BP including cyanidin 3-galactoside, ellagic acid and gallotannins as the main phenolics. Principle component analysis (PCA) of the quantified phenolics indicated that tree to tree variation had a bigger impact on the phenolic composition of BP than ambient storage. Sensory evaluation also revealed the diversity in aroma, appearance, texture, flavor and aftertaste of BP. The results of this study provide crucial information for consumers, growers and food processors.

Nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties of african underutilized legumes

Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-being owing to the dense nutritional contents and functional properties of their seeds. While much emphasis has been placed on the major grain legumes over the years, the neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) are gaining significant recognition as probable crops to alleviate malnutrition and give a boost to food security in Africa. Consumption of these underutilized legumes has been associated with several health-promoting benefits and can be utilized as functional foods due to their rich dietary fibers, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins/essential amino acids, micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds. Despite the plethora of nutritional benefits, the underutilized legumes have not received much research attention compared to common mainstream grain legumes, thus hindering their adoption and utilization. Consequently, research efforts geared toward improvement, utilization, and incorporation into mainstream agriculture in Africa are more convincing than ever. This work reviews some selected NULs of Africa (Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum), Mung bean, (Vigna radiata), Rice bean (Vigna Umbellata), and Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)), and their nutritional, and functional properties. Furthermore, we highlight the prospects and current challenges associated with the utilization of the NULs and discusses the strategies to facilitate their exploitation as not only sources of vital nutrients, but also their integration for the development of cheap and accessible functional foods.

Nutritional, health benefits and toxicity of underutilized garden cress seeds and its functional food products: a review

Garden cress seed is a potential source of macro and micronutrients including essential fatty acids and amino acids as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. The seed also provides appreciable amount of health-protective bioactive compounds used to treat diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, bone fracture, asthma, constipation and some forms of cancer. Besides,, it is used to develop functional foods of therapeutic value in food manufacturing industries and traditional food preparations. Even though, it is known for its superior health benefits, provision of essential nutrients, and wider application in functional food development it is among the most underutilized crop in the world. Additionally, majority of studies conducted on garden cress seeds are mainly animal trials and hence needs to conduct studies on human. Therefore, the aim of this review paper is to provide up to date research evidence on the nutrient composition and therapeutic use of underutilized garden cress seeds and its functional food products, promising for the prevention of non-communicable and communicable diseases.

Graphical Abstract

Leveraging Nutrient-Rich Traditional Foods to Improve Diets among Indigenous Populations in India: Value Chain Analysis of Finger Millet and Kionaar Leaves

Many indigenous foods are nutrient-rich but are often underutilized even among populations at high risk of malnutrition. The aims of this study were to conduct value chain analysis of one cultivated crop (finger millet among the Munda tribe) and one wild green leafy vegetable (Koinaar leaves among the Sauria Paharia tribe) of two Indigenous communities in Jharkhand state, India and to identify entry points for interventions aimed at supporting production and consumption. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders among each tribal group and transcripts were open coded and organized based on key themes across the steps of the value chain for each food independently. Improved storage techniques and infrastructure, machinery for processing and improved cooking fuel would help reduce barriers across the finger millet supply chain related to postharvest losses, processing labor and safety concerns related to cooking. For Koinaar leaves, improving drying techniques to increase consumption across seasons and providing training and support to increase opportunities for selling leaves in local markets, where participants mentioned potential language barriers, could strengthen the supply chain. Improving extension services and focusing beyond production has potential to improve the production and consumption of both nutrient-rich crops among Indigenous communities in India.

Smart breeding approaches in post-genomics era for developing climate-resilient food crops

Improving the crop traits is highly required for the development of superior crop varieties to deal with climate change and the associated abiotic and biotic stress challenges. Climate change-driven global warming can trigger higher insect pest pressures and plant diseases thus affecting crop production sternly. The traits controlling genes for stress or disease tolerance are economically imperative in crop plants. In this scenario, the extensive exploration of available wild, resistant or susceptible germplasms and unraveling the genetic diversity remains vital for breeding programs. The dawn of next-generation sequencing technologies and omics approaches has accelerated plant breeding by providing the genome sequences and transcriptomes of several plants. The availability of decoded plant genomes offers an opportunity at a glance to identify candidate genes, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), molecular markers, and genome-wide association studies that can potentially aid in high throughput marker-assisted breeding. In recent years genomics is coupled with marker-assisted breeding to unravel the mechanisms to harness better better crop yield and quality. In this review, we discuss the aspects of marker-assisted breeding and recent perspectives of breeding approaches in the era of genomics, bioinformatics, high-tech phonemics, genome editing, and new plant breeding technologies for crop improvement. In nutshell, the smart breeding toolkit in the post-genomics era can steadily help in developing climate-smart future food crops.

Leveraging the potential of wild food for healthy, sustainable, and equitable local food systems: learning from a transformation lab in the Western Cape region

Food insecurity and diet-related diseases do not only have detrimental effects to human health, but are also underpinned by food systems that are environmentally unsustainable and culturally disconnected. Ensuring access to a healthy, affordable, and sustainable diet is one of the greatest challenges facing many low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa. These challenges in accessing a diverse diet often persist despite biocultural richness. For example, South Africa is globally recognised for its rich biodiversity, an ecologically unrivalled coastline, and a rich body of traditional knowledge amongst wild-food users. In this paper, we explore the potential that coastal wild foods as neglected and underutilised species (NUS) can play in local food systems in South Africa's Western Cape Province. Following a previously established transformation lab (T-Lab) method, here we report the observations and outcomes emerging from a two-day workshop held in May 2019 with a group of 40 actors involved in the local food system in diverse ways. Farmers, small-scale fishers, indigenous knowledge holders, representatives from non-profit organisations, chefs, bartenders, academics, activists, conservationists, and government officials were brought together with the aim of strengthening an emerging coalition of coastal wild food actors. Findings highlighted the existence of a fledgling economy for coastal wild foods, driven by high-end chefs. The T-Lab was essentially a tool of knowledge co-production around food system transformation and helped to surface deeply embedded issues on land, race, history, and culture that warrant engagement if a better food system is to emerge. In a country that is drought prone and vulnerable to climate change, a more resilient and sustainable food system is a necessity. But defining alternative governance systems to shift towards a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable food system will require concerted effort across all stakeholders.

Nutritional and ecoclimatic importance of indigenous and naturalized wild edible plant species in Ethiopia

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Fruit of indigenous tree species varied in macronutrients and mineral contents.

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B. aegyptiaca, C. africana and Z. spina-christi were good sources of nutrient including minerals.

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Site-specific ecological factors determined fruit nutrient and mineral distribution.

Wild edible plant species (WEPs) are sources of food, nutrition, and medicine to people. However, often, the nutritional value of WEPs is unknown. This study was conducted to determine proximate and mineral contents of Balanites aegyptiaca, Cordia africana and Ziziphus spina-christi fruit. Fruit samples were collected from 10 trees of each species from Northern and Rift Valley region of Ethiopia. Fruit samples from the same species and district were mixed to form a composite sample, then dried, ground to powder and used for chemical analysis. We found a comparable amount of mean crude protein contents in C. africana and B. aegyptiaca. The fiber content was higher in B. aegyptiaca and Z. spina-christi. Carbohydrate and energy content were higher in Z. spina-christi compared to other study species. We found higher values of calcium in B. aegyptiaca and Z. spina-christi potassium, iron and zinc contents of B. aegyptiaca and C. africana, exceeded the value found in Z. spina-christi by about 50%. Our findings confirmed that the studied food tree species are potential sources of macronutrients and minerals. Therefore, promoting their sustainable use and increasing their abundance on different landscapes through Agroforestry system is critical to improve food availability and landscape resilience to climate change impacts.

Access to and Utilization of Wild Species for Food and Nutrition Security in Teso and Acholi Sub-regions of Uganda

Wild foods significantly contribute to the global food basket, and food and nutrition security. Worldwide, wild food species form an integral part of local diets and their widespread assimilation into local food culture suggests an untapped potential to ensure easy availability and access to micronutrients for sustainable food systems. However, wild species are often overlooked within nutrition-related policies, and their levels of availability remain unknown. This paper, therefore, focuses on understanding the changes in availability, access and utilization of wild animal and plant species in Teso and Acholi sub-regions of Uganda. A four-cell agrobiodiversity mapping protocol was applied through focus group discussions to establish the different wild animal and plant species that have played and still play a role within local communities' livelihoods in the two sub-regions. Findings showed that at the time of the study (2017), wild foods were considered to be important contributors to food and nutrition security, although the number of species reported to be available was slightly lower [91 (Acholi) and 103 (Teso)], compared to 20 years ago, where around 109 edible wild species were reportedly available in both the Acholi and Teso sub-regions. Reasons for the decline included (i) increased cultivations, and (ii) natural habitat destruction due to settlements and changes in land ownership. In the latter case, individual owners have further fragmented their land and do not allow villagers to freely participate in hunting and gathering. Lastly, rebel unrest increased feelings of insecurity, and thus prompted a decline in hunting and gathering. The noted presence and contribution of wild foods in Teso and Acholi calls for collective efforts to increase access to knowledge on the value of these wild foods for not only food and nutrition but also for their potential contribution to the social and cultural lives of the people.

Vegetables for Healthy Diets in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review of the Food Systems Literature

BACKGROUND

Vegetables are an essential element in healthy diets, but intakes are low around the world and there is a lack of systematic knowledge on how to improve diets through food system approaches.

METHODS

This scoping review assessed how studies of food systems for healthy diets have addressed the role of vegetables in low- and middle-income countries. We apply the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews to narratively map the literature to an accepted food systems framework and identify research gaps.

RESULTS

We found 1383 relevant articles, with increasing numbers over 20 years. Only 6% of articles looked at low-income countries, and 93% looked at single-country contexts. Over half of articles assessed vegetables as a food group, without looking at diversity within the food group. 15% looked at traditional vegetables. Issues of physical access to food were among the least studied food system topics in our review (7% of articles). Only 15% of articles used a comprehensive food system lens across multiple dimensions. There is also a research gap on the impacts of different policy and practice interventions (13% of articles) to enable greater vegetable consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Food system studies necessarily drew on multiple disciplines, methods and metrics to describe, analyze, and diagnose parts of the system. More work is needed across disciplines, across contexts, and across the food system, including understanding interventions and trade-offs, and impacts and change for diets particularly of marginalized population groups. Filling these gaps in knowledge is necessary in order to work toward healthy vegetable-rich diets for everyone everywhere.

Understanding the diversity and biogeography of Colombian edible plants

Despite being the second most biodiverse country in the world, hosting more than 7000 useful species, Colombia is characterized by widespread poverty and food insecurity. Following the growing attention in Neglected and Underutilized Species, the present study will combine spatial and taxonomic analysis to unveil their diversity and distribution, as well as to advocate their potential as key resources for tackling food security in the country. The cataloguing of Colombian edible plants resulted in 3805 species. Among these, the most species-rich genera included Inga, Passiflora, Miconia, Solanum, Pouteria, Protium, Annona and Bactris. Biogeographic analysis revealed major diversity hotspots in the Andean humid forests by number of records, species, families, and genera. The departments of Antioquia, Boyacá, Meta, and Cundinamarca ranked first both in terms of number of unique georeferenced records and species of edible plants. Significant information gaps about species distribution were detected in the departments of Cesar, Sucre, Atlántico, Vichada, and Guainía, corresponding to the Caribe and Llanos bioregions, indicating the urgent need for focusing investigation in these areas. Furthermore, a significant level of geographic specificity was found in edible plant species’ distributions between 13 different bioregions and 33 departments, hinting the adoption of tailorized prioritisation protocols for the conservation and revitalization of such resources at the local level.

Strengthening Vegetable Production and Consumption in a Kenyan Informal Settlement: A Feasibility and Preliminary Impact Assessment of a Sack Garden Intervention

Background

Over 85% of Kibera's population, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, is food insecure. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture interventions, such as sack gardens, have the potential to diversify diets-in turn, improving household food security and diet quality. Furthermore, the sale of extra vegetables may provide an income for program participants.

Objectives

The aim of this paper was to conduct a feasibility assessment and preliminary impact assessment of a nutrition-sensitive urban agriculture intervention that used sack gardens for women in Kibera.

Methods

Women, from a women's empowerment program, in Kibera (n = 36; n = 21 full program participants, n = 11 withdrawn, n = 4 new members) were engaged in a sack garden intervention in June 2018. A mixed-method approach was used to assess the feasibility and preliminary impact of the program. Qualitative semi-structured interviews (n = 25; n = 18 full program participants, n = 5 withdrawn, n = 2 new members), administered at the end of the pilot phase (March 2019), identified barriers and facilitators (e.g., preferences, inputs, group dynamics) to the production, consumption, and sale of self-produced vegetables. Quantitative surveys (n = 21 full program participants), administered in June 2018 and March 2019, were conducted to evaluate preliminary intervention impact on food security and diet quality through analysis of the Household Hunger Scale (HHS) and Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W).

Results

Key barriers included insufficient inputs and group work difficulties, particularly around communication. Facilitators included positive intervention feedback, social bonds and teamwork, participants' self-sufficiency, and preference for sack garden vegetables over market vegetables. Post-intervention, participants reported reduced household food insecurity. Recommendations for program scale-up include investment in additional inputs, a water-collection/irrigation system, additional training, and placing sack gardens closer to women's homes to reduce time constraints.

Conclusions

This study suggests that sack gardens may provide partial solutions to improve diet quality; however, further research is needed to assess any impact on household income.

Barriers and Facilitators in Preparation and Consumption of African Indigenous Vegetables: A Qualitative Exploration From Kenya

Malnutrition and food security continue to be major concerns in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In Western Kenya, it is estimated that the double burden of malnutrition impacts 19% of adults and 13–17% of households. One potential solution to help address the concern is increased consumption of nutrient-dense African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs). The objectives of this study were to: (i) document current methods used for preparation and consumption of AIVs; (ii) identify barriers and facilitators of AIVs consumption and preparation; and (iii) identify a package of interventions to increase the consumption of AIVs to promote healthy diets. This study used qualitative data collected from 145 individual farmers (78 female and 67 male) in 14 focus group discussions (FGDs) using a semi-structured survey instrument. Most farmers reported that they prepared AIVs using the traditional method of boiling and/or pan-cooking with oil, tomato, and onion. However, there were large discrepancies between reported cooking times, with some as little as 1–5 min and others as long as 2 h. This is of importance as longer cooking times may decrease the overall nutritional quality of the final dish. In addition, there were seasonal differences in the reported barriers and facilitators relative to the preparation and consumption of AIVs implying that the barriers are situational and could be modified through context-specific interventions delivered seasonally to help mitigate such barriers. Key barriers were lack of availability and limited affordability, due to an increase cost, of AIVs during the dry season, poor taste and monotonous diets, and perceived negative health outcomes (e.g., ulcers, skin rashes). Key facilitators included availability and affordability during peak-season and particularly when self-produced, ease of preparation, and beneficial health attributes (e.g., build blood, contains vitamins and minerals). To promote healthy diets within at risk-populations in Western Kenya, the findings suggest several interventions to promote the preparation and consumption of AIVs. These include improved household production to subsequently improve affordability and availability of AIVs, improved cooking methods and recipes that excite the family members to consume these dishes with AIVs, and the promotion of the beneficial heath attributes of AIVs while actively dispelling any perceived negative health consequences of their consumption.

Global plant diversity as a reservoir of micronutrients for humanity

With more than two billion people suffering from malnutrition and diets homogenizing globally, it is vital to identify and conserve nutrient-rich species that may contribute to improving food security and diversifying diets. Of the approximately 390,000 vascular plant species known to science, thousands have been reported to be edible, yet their nutritional content remains poorly characterized. Here we use phylogenetic information to identify plants with the greatest potential to support strategies alleviating B-vitamin deficiencies. We predict the B-vitamin profiles of >6,400 edible plants lacking nutritional data and identify 1,044 species as promising key sources of B vitamins. Several of these source species should become conservation priorities, as 63 (6%) are threatened in the wild and 272 (26%) are absent from seed banks. Moreover, many of these conservation-priority source species overlap with hotspots of malnutrition, highlighting the need for safeguarding strategies to ensure that edible plant diversity remains a reservoir of nutrition for future generations, particularly in countries needing it most. Although by no means a silver bullet to tackling malnutrition, conserving a diverse portfolio of edible plants, unravelling their nutritional potentials, and promoting their sustainable use are essential strategies to enhance global nutritional resilience.

Assessing the Nutritional Impact of an Increase in Orphan Crops in the Kenyan Diet: The Case of Millet

Orphan crops are those crops that did not receive the same attention of the research community as in the case of staples such as wheat, maize, or rice despite their regional and nutritional importance. A relatively recent trend has been promoting their research to improve their productivity and resilience to environmental shocks. However, their impact on consumers’ nutrition has been analysed only considering the crops individually and not in the context of the diet. This is important because an increase in the consumption of one product may trigger changes in the other products that conform to the diet. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential impact, in terms of food choices and nutrition, of increasing the consumption of orphan crops (represented by millet) in the Kenyan diet. This is carried out using a microeconomic-based methodology, which augments the original consumer problem with a constraint regarding the amount of the orphan crop on the diet. To compute the required elasticities for the method, three demand systems—i.e., for rural, less affluent urban, more affluent urban households—were estimated using the 2015–16 Kenyan Integrated Household Survey and the two-step approach to address the zero consumption for some food categories; the second step was modelled using the Linquad demand model. The results indicate that although the orphan crops have the capacity to improve some of the nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals), in net terms, as measured by the aggregated nutritional indicator the improvement is somewhat limited, the improvements occur in the rural and the less affluent population.

Orphan Crops: A Best Fit for Dietary Enrichment and Diversification in Highly Deteriorated Marginal Environments

Orphan crops are indigenous and invariably grown by small and marginal farmers under subsistence farming systems. These crops, which are common and widely accepted by local farmers, are highly rich in nutritional profile, good for medicinal purposes, and well adapted to suboptimal growing conditions. However, these crops have suffered neglect and abandonment from the scientific community because of very low or no investments in research and genetic improvement. A plausible reason for this is that these crops are not traded internationally at a rate comparable to that of the major food crops such as wheat, rice, and maize. Furthermore, marginal environments have poor soils and are characterized by extreme weather conditions such as heat, erratic rainfall, water deficit, and soil and water salinity, among others. With more frequent extreme climatic events and continued land degradation, orphan crops are beginning to receive renewed attention as alternative crops for dietary diversification in marginal environments and, by extension, across the globe. Increased awareness of good health is also a major contributor to the revived attention accorded to orphan crops. Thus, the introduction, evaluation, and adaptation of outstanding varieties of orphan crops for dietary diversification will contribute not only to sustained food production but also to improved nutrition in marginal environments. In this review article, the concept of orphan crops vis-à-vis marginality and food and nutritional security is defined for a few orphan crops. We also examined recent advances in research involving orphan crops and the potential of these crops for dietary diversification within the context of harsh marginal environments. Recent advances in genomics coupled with molecular breeding will play a pivotal role in improving the genetic potential of orphan crops and help in developing sustainable food systems. We concluded by presenting a potential roadmap to future research engagement and a policy framework with recommendations aimed at facilitating and enhancing the adoption and sustainable production of orphan crops under agriculturally marginal conditions.

Selecting and Assessing Underutilized Trees for Diverse Urban Forests: A Participatory Research Approach

Urban forests provide critical environmental benefits, but the resilience of these socio-ecological systems to stresses like pest and disease outbreaks relies on tree health and diversity. Despite this, low species diversity continues to be a challenge in urban forest management. Using a participatory research approach in central Florida (United States), we selected and tested underutilized native tree species (Celtis laevigata Willd., Ilex vomitoria Aiton, Taxodium ascendens Brongn., Ulmus alata Michx., and Viburnum obovatum Walter) in two urban settings (streetscape and park) in four communities (total n = 200). Our collaborative process was organized into five steps, including a 2-year monitoring period to assess mortality and health through establishment. At the end of the trial, 156 trees survived with annual mortality rates differing by species and plot type. Taxodium ascendens had the highest annual mortality of the five species trialed. Overall, U. alata and V. obovatum showed the greatest potential in central Florida urban settings. Our tree selection process can guide others who want to create forward-thinking and diverse planting lists. Furthermore, this project demonstrates that co-production of knowledge involving members of local municipalities, practitioners, and researchers can be an effective strategy for selecting and testing underutilized tree species.

Reshaping Food Policy and Governance to Incentivize and Empower Disadvantaged Groups for Improving Nutrition

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated global malnutrition challenges, disrupted food supply chains, and left poor and vulnerable people unable to produce and access safe and affordable food, especially in developing countries. Food policy and governance are currently malfunctioning, despite their recognized roles in improving food security and public nutrition in many local and national contexts. This article reviews existing food policies and governance with implications for disadvantaged groups in the food systems, particularly smallholder farmers, women, and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), highlighting the importance of reshaping food policies and governance. To end malnutrition in the post-COVID era, multiple sectors, including health, agriculture, social protection, education, and infrastructure, must make greater collaborative efforts to develop and implement food and nutrition policies. Several recommendations for reshaping food policy interventions and governance are summarized.

The Renaissance of Wild Food Plants: Insights from Tuscany (Italy)

This paper provides an overview of wild food plants traditionally used in the gastronomy of Tuscany, an Italian region with high biological diversity and whose cultural heritage is well known. Forty-nine bibliographic sources, including five unpublished studies, were reviewed. A list of species with ecological characteristics, plant parts used, use category (food, liquor, or seasoning), methods of preparation (raw or cooked), and recipes is presented. The use of 357 taxa (3711 use reports, URs), was recorded, belonging to 215 genera and 72 botanical families. Over the total taxa, 12 are new for Tuscany, 52 seem not to be present in other Italian regions, and 54 were not detected in the consulted European ethnobotanical literature. Of these taxa, 324 (3117 URs) were used as food, while 49 (178 URs) and 81 (416 URs) were used for liquor and seasoning, respectively. Of the 17 different food recipes, cooked vegetables constituted the largest group, followed by salads, omelets, snacks, and fillings. The chemical composition of the recorded food plants and the possible safety risks associated to their consumption, as well as their traditional medicinal use, are also shown. This review highlights the richness of ethnobotanical knowledge in Tuscany. Such biocultural heritage can be a “source of inspiration” for agriculture. As a reservoir of potential new crops, wild edible flora may contribute to the development of emerging horticultural sectors such as vertical farming and microgreens production. Moreover, the nutrient content and healthy properties of many wild food plants reported in this study has the ability to meet consumer demand for functional foods.

Utilizing the underutilized plant resources for development of life style foods: Putting nutrigenomics to use

Sufficient amount of minerals, vitamins, and proteins in human diet play indispensable role in maintaining the active metabolism for better human health. All the essential nutrients that are requisite for an individual's survival are acquired from plants as well as animals. Micronutrients and macronutrients directly influence the metabolic pathways and their deficiencies play a substantial role in development of manifold disorders. In addition to environmental factors, quality and quantity of foods are key factors in maintaining the human health. Transition from healthy to diseased state is concurrent with the pattern of gene expression that is largely influenced by nutrition and environment. A combined approach to study the influence of nutrition on expression of numerous genes can be well explored through nutrigenomic studies. Nutrigenomics includes studies wherein applied genomics is used to investigate nutritional science to understand the compartmentalization of genes that influence the cause of diet-related complications. This review describes the role of underutilized crops as frontline foods to circumvent the health complications through the nutrigenomic studies. Further dynamics of nutrigenomic tools to study the impact of nutrition on the changing pattern of genome stability and gene expression for developing precise safety measures against wide range of health ailments linked to metabolic networks. Additionally, this review provides detailed information on nutrigenomic studies undertaken to unravel the potential of underutilized crops to augment the human health and to carry the agronomic/genomic approaches to enhance nutritional profile of underutilized crops to overcome diet-related disorders.

The Exploitation of Orphan Legumes for Food, Income, and Nutrition Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Poverty, food, and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have become major concerns in recent times. The effects of climate change, drought, and unpredictable rainfall patterns threaten food production and sustainable agriculture. More so, insurgency, youth restiveness, and politico-economic instability amidst a burgeoning population requiring a sufficient and healthy diet remain front-burner issues in the region. Overdependence on only a few major staple crops is increasingly promoting the near extinction of many crops, especially orphan legumes, which possess immense potentials as protein and nutritional security crops. The major staple crops are declining in yield partly to their inability to adapt to the continuously changing climatic conditions. Remarkably, the orphan legumes are climate-smart crops with enormous agronomic features which foster sustainable livelihood. Research efforts on these crops have not attained a reasonable comparative status with most commercial crops. Though many research organizations and scientists have made efforts to promote the improvement and utilization of these orphan legumes, there is still more to be done. These legumes' vast genetic resources and economic utility are grossly under-exploited, but their values and promising impacts are immeasurable. Given the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) of zero hunger, improved nutrition, health, and sustainable agriculture, the need to introduce these crops into food systems in SSA and other poverty-prone regions of the world is now more compelling than ever. This review unveils inherent values in orphan legumes needing focus for exploitation viz-a-viz cultivation, commercialization, and social acceptance. More so, this article discusses some of the nutraceutical potentials of the orphan legumes, their global adaptability, and modern plant breeding strategies that could be deployed to develop superior phenotypes to enrich the landraces. Advanced omics technologies, speed breeding, as well as the application of genome editing techniques, could significantly enhance the genetic improvement of these useful but underutilized legumes. Efforts made in this regard and the challenges of these approaches were also discussed.

Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr.: a multipurpose plant with multiple uses in traditional ethnic culinary and ethnomedicinal preparations

Various plants form the basis of multiple traditional ethnic cuisines and ethnomedicinal practices across the globe. The ethnic cuisines cater to the nutritional, dietary and medicinal requirements of the tribal and rural communities even today. Using literature from various scholarly databases, this study was conducted to consolidate a comprehensive review on the use of Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr. in various traditional ethnic cuisines and ethnomedicinal preparations across the globe. The survey shows that it is used in multiple ethnic cuisines and is variously known in different countries and among the communities. Further, it possesses multiple nutritional and ethnomedicinal properties. Considering its importance in ethnic foods and ethnomedicinal preparations, it is important to investigate the nutritional composition, phytochemical constitution and pharmacological basis of ethnomedicinal uses. Therefore, we further compiled this information and found that it is a rich source of both micro- and macronutrients and packed with several bioactive compounds. Survey of pharmacological studies on its traditional medicinal uses supports its ethnomedicinal properties. Despite its importance in traditional food and ethnomedicinal systems, it remains underexplored. Limited information on the toxicity of its various extracts shows that further studies should be conducted to understand its safety aspects. Further clinical studies to prospect possible drug candidates from it should be attempted.

Development of Selection Indices for Improvement of Seed Yield and Lipid Composition in Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.)

The underutilised grain legume bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) has the potential to contribute significantly to nutritional security. However, the lack of commercial cultivars has hindered its wider adoption and utilisation as a food source. The development of competitive cultivars is impeded by (1) lack of systematic data describing variation in nutritional composition within the gene pool, and (2) a poor understanding of how concentrations of different nutritional components interact. In this study, we analysed seed lipid and protein concentration and lipid composition within a collection of 100 lines representing the global gene pool. Seed protein and lipid varied over twofold with a normal distribution, but no significant statistical correlation was detected between the two components. Seed lipid concentration (4.2–8.8 g/100 g) is primarily determined by the proportion of oleic acid (r² = 0.45). Yield and composition data for a subset of 40 lines were then used to test selection parameters for high yielding, high lipid breeding lines. From five selection indices tested using 15 scenarios, an index based on the seed number, seed weight, and oleic acid yielded a >50% expected increase in each of the mean values of seed number, pod dry weight, seed dry weight, and seed size, as well as an expected 7% increase in seed lipid concentration.

A 20-Year Journey Through an Orphan African Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) Towards Improved Food and Nutrition Security in Africa

The African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is a multipurpose orphan tree species of the semi-arid and sub-humid Sub-Saharan Africa where it plays an important role in rural livelihoods. Its wide distribution and dense nutrition properties make it an important species for food and nutrition security in Africa. However, despite the increasing interest in the species over the past two decades, the full potential of baobab remains underexploited. This review highlights strides made over the past 20 years (2001–2020) towards harnessing and unlocking the potential values of baobab in Benin, West Africa, to contribute to food and nutrition security. Challenges and threats are identified, and next steps suggested to guide research and development initiatives for orphan tree fruit species like baobab to address hunger and malnutrition in Africa.

Plant Diversity Conservation Challenges and Prospects-The Perspective of Botanic Gardens and the Millennium Seed Bank

There is a pressing need to conserve plant diversity to prevent extinctions and to enable sustainable use of plant material by current and future generations. Here, we review the contribution that living collections and seed banks based in botanic gardens around the world make to wild plant conservation and to tackling global challenges. We focus in particular on the work of Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Millennium Seed Bank of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, with its associated global Partnership. The advantages and limitations of conservation of plant diversity as both living material and seed collections are reviewed, and the need for additional research and conservation measures, such as cryopreservation, to enable the long-term conservation of 'exceptional species' is discussed. We highlight the importance of networks and sharing access to data and plant material. The skill sets found within botanic gardens and seed banks complement each other and enable the development of integrated conservation (linking in situ and ex situ efforts). Using a number of case studies we demonstrate how botanic gardens and seed banks support integrated conservation and research for agriculture and food security, restoration and reforestation, as well as supporting local livelihoods.

Agrobiodiversity Index scores show agrobiodiversity is underutilized in national food systems

The diversity of plants, animals and microorganisms that directly or indirectly support food and agriculture is critical to achieving healthy diets and agroecosystems. Here we present the Agrobiodiversity Index (based on 22 indicators), which provides a monitoring framework and informs food systems policy. Agrobiodiversity Index calculations for 80 countries reveal a moderate mean agrobiodiversity status score (56.0 out of 100), a moderate mean agrobiodiversity action score (47.8 out of 100) and a low mean agrobiodiversity commitment score (21.4 out of 100), indicating that much stronger commitments and concrete actions are needed to enhance agrobiodiversity across the food system. Mean agrobiodiversity status scores in consumption and conservation are 14-82% higher in developed countries than in developing countries, while scores in production are consistently low across least developed, developing and developed countries. We also found an absence of globally consistent data for several important components of agrobiodiversity, including varietal, functional and underutilized species diversity.

Genetics and breeding for climate change in Orphan crops

Climate change is rapidly changing how we live, what we eat and produce, the crops we breed and the target traits. Previously underutilized orphan crops that are climate resilient are receiving much attention from the crops research community, as they are often the only crops left in the field after periods of extreme weather conditions. There are several orphan crops with incredible resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Some are nutritious, while others provide good sources of biofuel, medicine and other industrial raw materials. Despite these benefits, orphan crops are still lacking in important genetic and genomic resources that could be used to fast track their improvement and make their production profitable. Progress has been made in generating draft genomes of at least 28 orphan crops over the last decade, thanks to the reducing cost of sequencing. The implementation of a structured breeding program that takes advantage of additional modern crop improvement tools such as genomic selection, speed breeding, genome editing, high throughput phenotyping and breeding digitization would make rapid improvement of these orphan crops possible, but would require coordinated research investment. Other production challenges such as lack of adequate germplasm conservation, poor/non-existent seed systems and agricultural extension services, as well as poor marketing channels will also need to be improved if orphan crops were to be profitable. We review the importance of breeding orphan crops under the increasing effects of climate change, highlight existing gaps that need to be addressed and share some lessons to be learned from major crops.

Advances in Cereal Crop Genomics for Resilience under Climate Change

Adapting to climate change, providing sufficient human food and nutritional needs, and securing sufficient energy supplies will call for a radical transformation from the current conventional adaptation approaches to more broad-based and transformative alternatives. This entails diversifying the agricultural system and boosting productivity of major cereal crops through development of climate-resilient cultivars that can sustainably maintain higher yields under climate change conditions, expanding our focus to crop wild relatives, and better exploitation of underutilized crop species. This is facilitated by the recent developments in plant genomics, such as advances in genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation, as well as gene editing technologies, which have increased the availability of high-quality reference genomes for various model and non-model plant species. This has necessitated genomics-assisted breeding of crops, including underutilized species, consequently broadening genetic variation of the available germplasm; improving the discovery of novel alleles controlling important agronomic traits; and enhancing creation of new crop cultivars with improved tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and superior nutritive quality. Here, therefore, we summarize these recent developments in plant genomics and their application, with particular reference to cereal crops (including underutilized species). Particularly, we discuss genome sequencing approaches, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and genome-wide association (GWAS) studies, directed mutagenesis, plant non-coding RNAs, precise gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9, and complementation of crop genotyping by crop phenotyping. We then conclude by providing an outlook that, as we step into the future, high-throughput phenotyping, pan-genomics, transposable elements analysis, and machine learning hold much promise for crop improvements related to climate resilience and nutritional superiority.

Fermentation as a tool for increasing food security and nutritional quality of indigenous African leafy vegetables: the case of Cucurbita sp

Sub-Saharan region is often characterized by food and nutrition insecurity especially "hidden hunger" which results from inadequate micronutrients in diets. African indigenous leafy vegetables (AILVs) can represent a valid food source of micronutrients, but they often go to waste resulting in post-harvest losses. In an attempt to prolong AILVs shelf-life while enhancing their nutritional quality, fermentation was studied from a microbiological and nutritional point of view. Pumpkin leaves (Cucurbita sp.) were spontaneously fermented using the submerged method with 3% NaCl and 3% sucrose. Controls were set up, consisting of leaves with no additions. During fermentation, samples of both treatments were taken at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 168 h to monitor pH and characterize the microbial population through culture-based and molecular-based analyses. Variations between fresh and treated leaves in B-group vitamins, carotenoids, polyphenols, and phytic acid were evaluated. Data revealed that the treatment with addition of NaCl and sucrose hindered the growth of undesired microorganisms; in controls, unwanted microorganisms dominated the bacterial community until 168 h, while in treated samples Lactobacillaceae predominated. Furthermore, the content in folate, β-carotene and lutein increased in treated leaves compared to the fresh ones, while phytic acid diminished indicating an amelioration in the nutritional value of the final product. Thus, fermentation could help in preserving Cucurbita sp. leaves, avoiding contamination of spoilage microorganisms and enhancing the nutritional values.

Sensory attributes, physicochemical and antioxidant characteristics, and protein profile of wild prickly pear fruits (O. macrocentra Engelm., O. phaeacantha Engelm., and O. engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelmann.) and commercial prickly pear fruits (O. ficus-indica (L.) Mill.)

Mexico presents the highest richness of Opuntia Mill. species. These species are an important economic factor for the country, and source of nutrients, bioactive compounds, pigments, and nutraceuticals which can be of interest for the food and pharmaceutical industry. However, there are some wild Opuntia species in the Chihuahua desert, that have not been analyzed to establish their properties and potential use. The aim of study was to evaluate the sensory, physicochemical and protein profile in wild prickly pear fruits (O. macrocentra Engelm. (OM), O. phaeacantha Engelm. (OP), and O. engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelmann. (OE)) from Samalayuca, Chihuahua and compare them with two commercial prickly pear fruits (O. ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (green-OFG, red-OFR). The sensory profile of wild species was characterized by highest color, odor, and sour taste compared to the commercial fruits. Pulp, peel, and seeds from wild prickly pear fruits showed lower pH, and higher titratable total acidity, total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, protein, lipids, ash, carbohydrates (only peel), and crude fiber content than commercial Opuntia species. Furthermore, O. engelmannii showed a tendency to present the highest betacyanins, betaxanthins, and betalains contents. A total of 181, 122, 113, 183 and 140 different proteins were identified in OM, OP, OE, OFG, OFR species, respectively. All species showed the highest enrichment in three main pathways such as amino acids biosynthesis, glycolysis (dark)/gluconeogenesis (light), and the citric acid cycle. The wild prickly pear fruits of this study showed important nutritional, protein, and antioxidant properties with biological interest, and can be a potential source of functional ingredients and nutraceuticals.