Contribution of Schinziophyton rautanenii to Sustainable Diets, Livelihood Needs and Environmental Sustainability in Southern Africa

"Exotic" seeds from Southern Africa as potential Novel Foods? - Chemical composition of manketti nuts (Schinziophyton rautanenii) and ushivi beans (Guibourtia coleosperma)

Various species of Southern African plants and their edible seeds have gained huge importance due to positive health aspects, and there is increasing interest to introduce such seeds as Novel Food on the international market. Especially the seeds of Schinziophyton rautanenii (manketti) and Guibourtia coleosperma (ushivi) could have great potential as a food and food ingredient. Hence, extensive analyses on the chemical composition of manketti nuts and ushivi beans including the analysis of total solids, protein and fat content, soluble carbohydrates, ash, total and free amino acids, biogenic amines and polyamines, fatty acid profile as well as the content of certain B-vitamins and tocopherols were performed. Results obtained showed a valuable nutritional composition, e.g., a true protein content of 22.6% with a ratio of essential amino acids to total amino acid composition of 48% in manketti nuts, while ushivi beans had a true protein content of 8.2% with a similar ratio of essential to total amino acids (45%). Lipid content was 54.1% in manketti nuts, ushivi beans had a value of 7.7%. In both, linoleic acid was the most abundant. Furthermore, ushivi beans had high amounts of vitamin B1 and B2.

Impact of the Sustainable Development Goals on the academic research agenda. A scientometric analysis

Today, global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and sustainability are at the core of the academic debate. This centrality has only increased since the transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whose scope is to shift the world on to a path of resilience focused on promoting sustainable development. The main purpose of this paper is to develop a critical yet comprehensive scientometric analysis of the global academic production on the SDGs, from its approval in 2015 to 2020, conducted using Web of Science (WoS) database. Despite it being a relatively short period of time, scholars have published more than five thousand research papers in the matter, mainly in the fields of green and sustainable sciences. The attained results show how prolific authors and schools of knowledge are emerging, as key topics such as climate change, health and the burden diseases, or the global governance of these issues. However, deeper analyses also show how research gaps exist, persist and, in some cases, are widening. Greater understanding of this body of research is needed, to further strengthen evidence-based policies able to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the SDGs.

Pangenomes as a Resource to Accelerate Breeding of Under-Utilised Crop Species

Pangenomes are a rich resource to examine the genomic variation observed within a species or genera, supporting population genetics studies, with applications for the improvement of crop traits. Major crop species such as maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), Brassica (Brassica spp.), and soybean (Glycine max) have had pangenomes constructed and released, and this has led to the discovery of valuable genes associated with disease resistance and yield components. However, pangenome data are not available for many less prominent crop species that are currently under-utilised. Despite many under-utilised species being important food sources in regional populations, the scarcity of genomic data for these species hinders their improvement. Here, we assess several under-utilised crops and review the pangenome approaches that could be used to build resources for their improvement. Many of these under-utilised crops are cultivated in arid or semi-arid environments, suggesting that novel genes related to drought tolerance may be identified and used for introgression into related major crop species. In addition, we discuss how previously collected data could be used to enrich pangenome functional analysis in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) based on studies in major crops. Considering the technological advances in genome sequencing, pangenome references for under-utilised species are becoming more obtainable, offering the opportunity to identify novel genes related to agro-morphological traits in these species.

Comparison of CaO-NPs and Chicken Eggshell-Derived CaO in the Production of Biodiesel from Schinziophyton rautanenii (Mongongo) Nut Oil

The ever-increasing population growth and economic developments have heightened demand for energy. This has resulted in depletion and ever-rising prices of petroleum diesel, thus increasing environmental degradation. These complications have motivated this study for the search of an alternative eco-friendly and renewable source of energy such as biodiesel. Biodiesel has been found to be a potential alternative fuel for diesel. Biodiesel was produced by transesterification reaction of Schinziophyton rautanenii (mongongo) nut oil in the presence of a base heterogeneous catalyst: CaO derived from eggshell ash and synthesised CaO-nanoparticles (CaO-NPs). The catalysts were calcined at a temperature of 800°C for 3 h and characterized by scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) where both catalysts showed agglomerated particles and high elemental composition of Ca and O. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that CaO was present in both catalysts, and the average crystalline size obtained was 42 and 50 nm for CaO-NPs and eggshell ash, respectively. Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectrometer showed absorption bands of CaO in both catalysts which were at 875 and 713.46 cm−1 for CaO-NPs and eggshell ash, respectively. The analysis of mongongo nut oil (MNO) and mongongo methyl esters (MMEs) was done according to the European biodiesel specification (EN 1421) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D675). Statistically, there was no significant difference between CaO-NPs and eggshell in terms of optimum yield ( $P>0.05$ ) using a sample t-test. However, in terms of catalyst loading, the eggshell was a better catalyst as it required a low catalyst load to obtain an optimum yield of 83% at 6 wt.% compared to CaO-NPs with an optimum yield of 85% at 12 wt.%. The reactions were all performed at constant reaction conditions of 9 : 1 methanol to oil ratio, 3 h reaction time, and 65°C reaction temperature.

The Close Linkage between Nutrition and Environment through Biodiversity and Sustainability: Local Foods, Traditional Recipes, and Sustainable Diets

This special issue, “The Close Linkage between Nutrition and Environment through Biodiversity and Sustainability: Local Foods, Traditional Recipes, and Sustainable Diets” is focused on the close correlation between the potential benefits and “functional role” of a food and the territory, including papers on the characterization of local foods and traditional recipes, on the promotion of traditional dietary patterns and sustainable diets.

Vangueria madagascariensis Fruit Tree: Nutritional, Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Primary Health Care Applications as Herbal Medicine

Vangueria madagascariensis J. F. Gmel. is a plant species regarded as an important fruit tree and medicinal plant in sub-Saharan Africa. This study critically reviewed the nutritional value, phytochemistry, medicinal uses, and pharmacological properties of V. madagascariensis. Relevant information on food and medicinal uses of the species was collected from electronic databases such as ISI Web of Knowledge, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, OATD, Scopus, OpenThesis, PubMed, and Google Scholar, and preelectronic literatures were obtained from the university library covering the period 1966 to 2018. Literature studies revealed that V. madagascariensis has been integrated into farming systems as a fruit tree to support income and nutritional security of households in the region. Vangueria madagascariensis is used as a herbal medicine against diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, malaria, pain, parasitic worms, and skin diseases. Phytochemical compounds identified from the species include alcohols, aldehydes, esters, furanoids, ketones, and terpenoids. Pharmacological studies revealed that V. madagascariensis extracts have antibacterial, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antimalarial, and antiplasmodial properties. Vangueria madagascariensis should be subjected to detailed nutritional, pharmacological, and toxicological evaluations aimed at correlating the traditional uses of the species and the scientific evidence as well as establishing the efficacy, clinical relevance, safety, and mechanisms of action of the plant extracts and compounds.