Promoting the Utilization of Underutilized Vegetable Crops in Food Processing: A Review
Ibok, Nsikakabasi Umoh1& Asuquo, Maryam Garpiya2.
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike,
2Department of Hospitality Management Technology, Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State.
Email: nsikak.ibok54@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
There is a need to create awareness for cultivation and consumption of Underutilized Indigenous Vegetables (UIVs) considering that they are nutritious, health promoting, easy to cultivate and produce stable yields even under difficult climatic conditions. The consumption of these vegetables is capable of preventing and protecting against some of the diseases arising from the effect of oxidative damages cause by free radicals. For food welfare and livelihoods around the world, vegetables play a crucial role. Although animal foods are often too costly for low-income families, various underexploited vegetables can be a replacement for vitamins, micronutrients, and secondary plant metabolites that promote health, food security, income generation and environmental services. UIVs continue to play an important role in the subsistence and economy of poor people and vulnerable groups throughout the developing world, particularly in the agro biodiversity-rich tropics.Value-addition is a key consideration to increase the market share of indigenous vegetables. Some crops with a short shelf life can be processed to add value. Processing may include packaging, drying, salting, fermenting, pickling, canning and juice production, such as moringa juice. In addition to expanding the range of products of these vegetables and ensuring long shelf life of the value-added products, processed products are more likely to fetch a higher market value than the fresh produce. More than ever before, lies the need to exploit global innovative approaches in the industrial circle to tackle hunger, the potential of underutilized plants contributing to industrial development is high and expanding. Across the globe such contributions as food processing, food security, product development, commerce and industry have been examined. This will offset malnutrition and also provide a source of income as indigenous vegetables represent inexpensive but high-quality nutritional sources, food security for rural and urban dwellers especially where malnutrition is wide spread as in Nigeria.
Keywords: Diversification, Underutilized Indigenous Vegetables, Food Security, Food Processing
