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Increased reliance on major food crops has caused shrinking of the food basket. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to introduce underutilised fruit of Karanda (Carissa carandus L.) for its commercial exploitation.

The present study elucidates the physiological changes that prevail in the fruits of Karanda during its successive stages of growth and ripening. Changes in sugars, starch, proteins, phenols, amino acids, role of various enzymes and rate of ethylene and respiration has been used as parameters to access the physiological changes taking place.

Notable change was observed in its colour from green to deep blue/black, accumulation of sugars and proteins, degradation of starch, phenols and free amino acids. Cell wall degrading enzymes (polygalactouronase and pectin methylesterase) and antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) showed their active role, while that of cell wall degrading enzyme cellulase and hydrolyzing enzymes (amylase and invertase) were not active during the growth and ripening of the fruit. Increased levels of respiration and ethylene production determined it to be a climacteric type of fruit.

The study does not provide information regarding the other nutritional parameters of the fruits like vitamins and minerals.

The physiological changes in relation to growth and ripening would be useful in determining the maturity indices for harvesting and utilization of this underutilised Karanda fruit.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the availability and use status of plant species and their genetic diversities from local forests and uncultivated lands in the context of three different Chepang ethnic communities of Nepal. In the current context of increased threats upon the natural resources to meet increased food demand, unsustainable harvest is also practised, leading to unavailability of the diversities, thus conservation and sustainable harvest were compared along with contribution of those neglected and underutilized species for food, nutrition and livelihood security of the local dwellers.

This research was done by using multi-stage random sampling of 15 households from each village development committee (VDC), namely Shaktikhor, Kaule and Siddhi of Chitwan district of Nepal. The farmers’ participation in this study was ensured through participatory research methods, including group discussions (GD) and other Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools. In addition, field observations, household interviews and consultation with experts were used in this study.

The Chepang community was found to possess immense knowledge on forest products and crop landraces and utilize the various plants for food and medicine. The underutilized species were used by the local people in different forms (food, vegetables, medicine, and for cultural and economical reasons). The uses of 46 underutilized plant species were documented, including 25 species with multiple functions as food, vegetables, and medicines. The overall contribution was about 2.7 months a year, with a significant difference between Siddhi (3.8months), Shaktikhor (2.4 months) and Kaule (1.9 months).

This research was an exploratory action research covering only 45 households from three VDCs and is not an adequate sample size considering population size. Due to differences in the altitude, farm and family size, level of education, the number of species availability and uses may differ and this research needs to be replicated covering different seasons, years and more respondents.

This piece of research is original and conducted by three researchers working with different institutions. This strongly showed a gradual loss of the plant genetic diversities due to inability of the state, through its policy and programs, to recognize the contribution of those species in food, nutrition and livelihood security of vulnerable populations. The state should emphasize on research, education and technology development for those undermined crops, despite their huge contribution to the livelihood system.

The aim of the study is to compare the effect of steaming method and time on the physico‐chemical properties of underutilized Dioscorea dumetorum with three more commonly consumed Dioscorea rotundata, Dioscorea cayenensis and Dioscorea alata.

Raw and pre‐gelatinized flour were produced from the yam species. Pre‐gelatinization was done by steaming diced cubes in autoclave at 68,950 Nm‐2 for 5 min and in Barlett steamer at 98±2°C for 10, 20 and 30 min. Flour samples were analyzed for amylose content, swelling index, consistency, solubility, water absorption capacity, and iodine affinity for starch.

The physico‐chemical properties of the flours were affected by both species and steaming time. Pre‐gelatinization of the tuber reduced amylose content in all the yam species, which reduced further with increase in steaming time. Except for amylose content and iodine affinity for starch, D. dumetorum compared with D. rotundata and D. cayenensis in the parameters that were measured. Samples autoclaved for 5 min had value similar to those steamed in Barlett steamer for 10 and 20 min for all the parameters that were measured, except consistency.

It is very important to encourage the cultivation and utilization of D. dumetorum because of the high yield and nutritional composition to enhance the nutritional and financial well‐being of the populace.

Pre‐gelatinization is important as pre‐treatment for yam tubers. Underutilized D. dumetorum could be useful in ingredient formulation for product development, especially as a thickening agent.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of dehulling/soaking on the chemical, functional and anti‐nutritional contents of three varieties of beans. This research work involved comparative study of the underutilized bean species with the commonly consumed beans in Nigeria.

Three species of legumes were used for this study. The cowpea seeds were divided into two parts. One part was milled and packaged for raw flour while the other part was dehulled and soaked for 30 min, dried in the oven, milled and packed. For the pigeon pea and African yam beans, the raw beans were milled and packaged while part of the seeds was steamed for 5 min and the coats were removed. The dehulled beans were soaked for 30 min, dried in the oven, milled and packaged. Chemical, functional and anti‐nutritional content were determined on the samples.

Fat content ranged from 0.95 to 1.98 per cent. Ash and crude fibre ranged from 1.98 to 6.13 and 2.41 to 7.90 per cent, respectively. Raw cowpea had the highest calcium content (3.86 per cent) while pigeon pea had higher value in magnesium content (2.01 per cent). Raw African yam beans had the highest iron content (23.44 per cent). Bulk density, swelling index and water‐absorption capacity ranged from 0.53 to 0.92 g/cm³, 2.3 to 5.9 and 0.9 to 2.8 ml H₂O/g, respectively. African yam bean had higher values in oxalate, phytate and tannin contents while cowpea had higher saponin content. Raw flour of pigeon pea had higher value in trypsin inhibitor.

This work enables us to make use of the underutilized beans. These beans were higher in nutrients than the cowpea used. Processing of these beans will make them useful for human nutrition without imposing any health problem to the consumer. They could also be converted to flour and used in formulating food such as weaning food.

The native species from western Mato Grosso do Sul provide fruits with unique sensory characteristics and high nutrient concentrations. Tropical fruit consumption is increasing due to the growing recognition of the nutritional value. These fruits play important roles through the marketing of their products and nutritionally through their consumption. All fruits are edible and are used in the food industry and well sensory accepted. The purpose of this paper is to verify the physicochemical characteristics, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in fruits collected in the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes from western Mato Grosso do Sul.

The fruits of baru, bocaiuva, jatobá, jenipapo and pequi were collected. To characterize them, longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, total sugar, glucose and macro and micronutrient contents analysis were performed in triplicate.

Jatobá presented the highest values of vitamin C. For phenolics, baru and jatobá stood out; bocaiuva presented the highest results for sugars, while jatobá was superior for glucose. The fruits with the highest antioxidant capacity, DPPH, were pequi and baru, while via ABTS the jatobá was the highest. Baru presented higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron. The bocaiuva presented the highest results for potassium and sulfur, the jatobá calcium and manganese. Jenipapo stood out with its boron content. Magnesium presented superior results in the baru, jenipapo and bocaiuva. The results reinforce the diversity of physicochemical characteristics.

The increase of the flow of available information, together with the growth of multicultural influences, the search for wholesome diet and the diversity of flavors and colors make these fruits important regional development tools. Their characteristics encompass national and international exploration potential that arouse consumer interest and contribute to the pursuit of innovations. In addition, the native species mentioned above provide fruits with unique sensory characteristics. Their consumption is increasing in the markets due to the growing recognition of their nutritional value. Therefore, these fruits play important roles, economically, through the marketing of their products and nutritionally through their consumption.

Edible flowers have traditionally been consumed for their nutritional and medicinal properties. Aponogeton distachyos is an aquatic flowering plant native to the Western Cape of South Africa (SA) that used to be a wild plant gathered during the winter months, but it is now considered to be underutilised and endangered. This study aims at gaining insights from different stakeholders into the activities across the plant value chain and their impact on the consumption of Aponogeton distachyos.

The study methodology involved the identification of different stakeholders in the plant value chain and conducting qualitative in-depth interviews during the data collection. Twelve study participants were selected via purposive sampling and interviewed using semi-structured interviews (face-to-face, telephone and online).

Nostalgic connection of the flower with local culture and heritage and its unique taste and flavour are key consumption drivers. Promotional and educational efforts by food advocates and at public events help raise consumer awareness, which is generally lacking. Limited geographic and seasonal availability, perishability, price and quality issues emerged, together with low awareness, as main barriers to more frequent and geographically spread consumption.

Although wild edible flowers have been consumed for centuries, there has been little attention to their nutritional value and journey to their final consumers. The present study identifies important challenges emanating at different stages of the food value chain to consumption of one particular neglected and underutilised plant, with certain implications for people's dietary quality, environmental sustainability and biodiversity of natural resources beyond Aponogeton distachyos and SA.

(1)Aponogeton distachyos is a neglected and underutilised aquatic flowering plant native to the Western Cape of South Africa (SA). (2)The plant offers benefits related to people's dietary quality, environmental sustainability and biodiversity of natural resources. (3)Flower's nostalgic connection with local culture and heritage emerge as a key consumption driver. (4)Its unique taste and flavour highly appeal to consumers. (5)Low awareness, limited availability, price and quality are main consumption barriers. (6)There is largely unexploited public policy potential for supporting dietary diversity through growing edible flowers.

The purpose of this study is to utilise market-oriented methodologies to determine key attributes driving consumers' preferences for novel sustainably sourced seafood concepts, derived from a species of wild-caught fish unfamiliar to consumers and to explore new product concepts for various consumer clusters.

This study applied a mixed-method approach including five focus groups with 40 consumers and a single conjoint-based questionnaire administered to 300 seafood consumers in Ireland. The focus groups explored in-depth consumers' expectations, requirements and preferences and identified the key attributes that would influence acceptance of new seafood products. Full-profile conjoint analysis was used to model consumers' preferences for novel seafood product concepts that utilised a sustainably sourced species unfamiliar to the consumer.

Focus groups revealed that the most important attributes were brand, price, format, packaging, supplementary information and accompaniment. The conjoint simulation identified three consumer clusters. Product concepts containing a sustainably sourced fish species were identified according to the preferences of each consumer cluster.

This research highlighted a sustainability angle in new product development and identified a competitive advantage and market potential for boarfish (Capros aper), which is an underutilised Irish fish species. It used a market-oriented approach to explore the development of novel sustainably sourced value-added seafood product concepts. The study results provide small and medium seafood companies with original and unique insights for developing novel sustainably sourced fish products that increase consumer acceptance.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors influencing adoption of African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) into the agro-pastoral farming systems aiming at improving livelihoods.

The paper is based upon the diffusion theory which is linked to the random utility theory. A survey of 205 agro-pastoral households obtained through multistage sampling technique was used. Factors influencing adoption of AIVs were estimated using a logit model.

Findings indicate that the acreage under AIVs was still very low compared to other crop enterprises with the most common types of AIVs grown being Solanum nigrum, Amaranthus spp., Cucurbita maxima, Vigna unguiculata, Basella alba and Cleome gynandra. Factors influencing adoption were found to be gender, age, farm size, education level, off-farm income and number of visits to extension officer.

Limitations include reliance on respondents’ willingness to provide correct information.

This paper adds value in its contribution to literature on diversifying agro-pastoral livelihoods through production of AIVs for income and food security.

Against a milieu of fragmented research that documents indigenous practices related to food security, and the heterogeneous settings from which the studies have been conducted, this study aims to synthesize the evidence of indigenous knowledge-food security nexus to strengthen the call for the revitalization of indigenous knowledge (IK) as part of the mechanisms to manage food security challenges being aggravated by climate change.

Drawing on insights from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this study reviews 122 articles accessed from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, which covered indigenous methods used for producing, gathering, processing, preserving and storing diverse food sources that indigenous people deploy in securing their food systems.

The surge in attention to focus on IK-food security nexus tends to be influenced by the growing acknowledgement of climate change impacts on food systems. Essentially, the IK-based practices adopted address all the four food security pillars that are specified by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as availability, accessibility, utilization and stability. The main motivation behind the continued use of IK-based ways relates largely to the interest to be food secure against climatic shocks and partly to the desire to maintain people’s food cultures and food sovereignty.

This study deploys the food security pillars provided by the FAO (2012) to demonstrate that IK-based ways of food management are capable of addressing all the four food security dimensions, a critical observation toward revitalizing IK in managing growing food security challenges that are intensified by climate change in SSA.

The purpose of this paper is to examine knowledge sharing on traditional vegetables for supporting food security among farmers and other communities in Kilosa district, Tanzania.

A case study design was employed. Semi-structured questionnaires with both open- and closed-ended questions were used to collect quantitative data in three wards of Kilosa District in Tanzania. Interviews were used to collect qualitative data from three heads of farmer groups, and direct observation was used to validate findings obtained from questionnaires.

The results showed that farmers used a socialisation approach to share indigenous knowledge about traditional vegetables on production, consumption and preservation.

The study necessitates a need to conduct regular studies on sharing knowledge of traditional vegetables among different communities for supporting food security.

The paper provides a framework for agricultural development planners on how to improve the management of indigenous knowledge on traditional vegetables with scientific knowledge in local communities for improving food security in Tanzania.

The paper has an implication for improving knowledge-sharing strategies on traditional vegetables in supporting food security in Tanzania, and other parts of Africa and developed countries. There is a need for knowledge intermediaries to develop knowledge database on production, consumption and preservation of traditional vegetable to increase the dissemination of this knowledge and, hence, improve nutrition and food security.

The paper provides appropriate knowledge-sharing strategies which are needed to improve sharing of indigenous knowledge about traditional vegetables in Tanzania and other developed and developing countries.