The impact of climate change presents an opportunity for orphan crops like millet to contribute to sustainable food systems. A prime example of an orphan crop with special traits and the potential to develop climate-smart agriculture is Barnyard millet (BYM). Alkaloids, steroids, polysaccharides, glycosides, tannins, phenols, dietary lignans and flavonoids are just a few of the antioxidants that are abundant in BYM. BYM’s antioxidant potential, prebiotic status, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antibacterial and anticancerous properties help it to combat a myriad of diseases. The antinutritional compounds present in BYM such phytic acid, tannins, polyphenols, and amylase inhibitors limit the absorption of minerals because they form complexes with dietary minerals like calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron and make them inaccessible for absorption. Various processing methods like dehulling, soaking, heating, gamma irradiation, cold plasma processing, fermentation might enhance the nutritional and technological functional qualities of BYM. The bioactives in BYM can improve their bioavailability, in vitro digestibility, efficiency, structural modification and stability by biological processing techniques such as germination and fermentation employing microbial strains. BYM straw’s high cellulose and hemicellulose percentage makes C5 and C6 sugars accessible for bioconversion into bioethanol.
The presence of bamboo, a perennial grass belonging to the Poaceae family, has been recorded from all the climatic regions of Africa, Asia, and South America. The various uses of bamboo have already been established, including construction, furniture, handicraft, biofuel paper, and pulp, among others. In addition, bamboo shoots are increasingly recognized as a functional food and a nutraceutical, offering a unique combination of biologically active compounds that synergize to human health and disease prevention. Shoots have been reported to contain fewer calories and fats while being rich in nutritional components, making them the preferred ingredient for balanced diets, especially for cardiovascular health and weight management. The nutraceutical properties of bamboo shoots are contributed by phenolics and flavonoids, which reduce oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. The high fiber content helps in lowering cholesterol levels, while phytosterols help specifically in reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Lignins and polyphenolics have been reported to exhibit chemopreventive effects by inducing apoptosis, thus inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. The digestive fibers in bamboo shoots have been reported to enhance gut motility, maintain metabolic health, and help in controlling weight. The polysaccharides in bamboo shoots have been shown to modulate inflammatory pathways, leading to alterations in immune response and benefiting autoimmune conditions. Their diverse phytochemical properties have increased the nutraceutical potential of bamboo shoots, leading to their increased utilization in the food industry. Diversified products including pickles, canned shoots, fermented products, powders, and extracts are available in the market as functional foods, dietary supplements, and traditional medicine formulations. With increasing consumer demand for natural and plant-based nutraceuticals, bamboo shoots hold significant potential for future applications in the food and wellness industries. The present work provides a comprehensive outlook of the possibilities of bamboo shoots in nutrition and health.
A. Jose, V. Sreekumar, Syam Viswanath et al.· Frontiers in Ecology and Evo...· 0 citations
Tropical fruits that are underutilized have the potential to significantly improve dietary diversity and sustainable food systems. They are a commercially underutilized but scientifically validated source of functional food ingredients. This review critically analyzes their phytochemical diversity, processing technologies, product development strategies, and health benefits. Peels, seeds, and kernels that are not edible often have higher bioactive concentrations than pulps. Emerging green technologies such as ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, supercritical fluid, pulsed electric field, advanced drying, and high-pressure processing consistently outperform conventional methods in phytochemical retention. Baobab pulp successfully supports probiotic growth in fermented dairy products, while baobab seed extract greatly prolongs the shelf life of beef patties. Clinical research indicates that amla extract has effects like those of atorvastatin in type 2 diabetes, whereas jabuticaba peel enhances postprandial glucose metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome. But there is still a translational gap between human validation and mechanistic results. While pequi, jabuticaba, baobab, and jackfruit are well-characterized, species like cambuci and African medlar lack processing and functional studies. Future research should prioritize bioavailability studies, clinical trials with realistic doses, and green technology scale-up to transition these fruits from regional specialties to globally recognized functional ingredients.
Ali Hassan, F. H. Awlqadr, S. Shahid et al.· International Journal of Foo...· 0 citations
Roselle (
Hibiscus sabdariffa
L.) is a widely cultivated plant valued for its red calyces used in beverages and foods such as juice, wine, jam, syrup, and tea. It contains bioactive compounds including phenolics and flavonoids that confer antioxidant, antibacterial, and other medicinal properties, supporting its use in treating ailments like hypertension and liver disorders. Recently, it has gained attention for industrial and bioenergy applications, highlighting its potential as a multifunctional crop. Despite growing interest, research on roselle’s nutritional, pharmacological, and energy applications across different processing methods and regions remains fragmented. Inconsistent yield reporting and the lack of standardized assessment frameworks further limit comparability and scalability. This review therefore synthesizes current knowledge on roselle’s nutraceutical, medicinal, and bioenergy potential while identifying key research gaps and future opportunities for its sustainable utilization. Following a systematic search of major scientific databases, a total of 102 publications from June 2003 to January 2026 were identified, of which 90 were selected and synthesized to provide a comprehensive assessment of the topic. The selected studies examine the nutritional, pharmacological, and bioenergy attributes of
H. sabdariffa
, highlighting its potential as a multifunctional crop for food, health, and sustainable energy applications. Roselle has strong potential as a renewable energy crop, with its sugar rich biomass serving as a suitable feedstock for bioethanol production and its oil rich seeds offering prospects for biodiesel generation. Roselle derived biofuels can support sustainable energy development by providing renewable alternatives to fossil fuels while promoting environmental conservation. Its dual role as a health-promoting plant and bioenergy resource makes it valuable for food, health, and energy applications. Future research should focus on standardized comparisons, large-scale optimization, and techno-economic assessments to enable sustainable commercialization.
Shedrack Thomas Mgeni, J. Emmanuel, L. Mtashobya· Natural Product Communicatio...· 0 citations
The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), a leguminous species native to the Mediterranean basin, holds a prominent place in regional ethnobotany due to its multifaceted uses in traditional diets, natural medicine, and agroecological systems. Belonging to the Fabaceae family, this fruit-bearing tree is appreciated for its nutritional richness: its pulp is high in natural sugars, the seeds contain valuable fats, and the pods are a source of essential minerals such as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Moreover, its leaves and pods are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants. From an ecological standpoint, the carob tree demonstrates exceptional resilience to water scarcity, making it a strategic species for reforestation and land restoration in arid and degraded environments. Economically, it has significant value, as its derivatives are employed in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. This review provides an overview of the chemical composition and bioactive properties of Ceratonia siliqua, while emphasizing its ethnobotanical relevance and its contributions to human health and sustainable development.
S. A. Sanaa· Natural Resources for Human...· 0 citations
Rapid population growth demands research on alternative, nutritionally rich food crops that can sustain food security, mitigate cultivation risks associated with climate change, and reduce dependence on mono- and few-crop systems. Several underutilized crops have been cultivated for centuries, but their use often remains country- or continent-specific, with limited scientific documentation and dissemination to regions facing major nutritional challenges. Moringa is one such promising crop; with rich nutrients, its plant parts, from root to pod, are edible or useful, and it also contributes to environmental cleansing. However, its wider utilization is constrained by anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) such as alkaloids, tannins, saponins, oxalates, glucosinolates (GSLs) and phytic acid, which reduce nutrient bioavailability and may cause adverse health effects. Various methods, including microbial fermentation, have proven effective at reducing these ANFs. For instance, lactic acid and solid-state fermentation can substantially reduce the enzymatic degradability of ANFs such as phytate, tannins, and GSLs while improving mineral bioavailability. In parallel, genetic and biotechnological approaches improving moringa offer substantial potential to alleviate malnutrition and enhance environmental and agronomic performance through better yield, quality, and stress resilience, along with ANF reduction. This review synthesizes current knowledge on moringa botany, crop diversity and summarizes genetic and biotechnological approaches, including omics resources, conventional breeding, microbial fermentation, and emerging genome-editing strategies, to improve yield and nutritional quality while reducing ANFs. By outlining the benefits of moringa, identifying major knowledge gaps, and highlighting future research priorities, this review aims to guide the strategic development and global deployment of moringa as a resilient, nutrient-dense crop for sustainable food and nutrition security.
Shamini Karunagaran, Saraladevi Muthusamy, A. Manikandan et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
Macrotyloma uniflorum (horse gram) is a neglected and climate-resilient leguminous food crop that has great potential to contribute toward global food and nutritional security, sustainability of food systems, and human health. The present review discusses the nutritional, bioactive components, antinutritional factors, processing technologies, techno-functional properties, nutraceutical potential, and climate resilience of M. uniflorum, with special reference to its novel application as a functional food. Horse gram is rich in protein, fiber, minerals, vitamins, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and bioactive peptides, and possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial properties. Research on customary and novel processing methods has contributed to understanding its bioavailability and the effect of antinutritional factors in processed horse gram products. This review is unique in collating information relating to climate resilience, bioactive peptides, processing technologies, and the likelihood of precision nutrition and nutraceuticals in the future. Despite the abundance of data from in vitro, in vivo, and preclinical studies supporting the health benefits of horse gram, a limited number of human population-based studies have been published. Gaps in knowledge include bioavailability, mechanisms of action, gene–diet interactions, techno-functional properties, scalability, and industry regulation. Future studies will rely on multi-omics approaches, nutrigenomics, clinical testing, and scalable processing methods to establish horse gram as an evidence-based and commercially useful functional food resource.
A. Halder, Utpal Das, Jeevitha Gada Chengaiyan· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
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