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Sánchez-Capa M, Corell González M, Mestanza-Ramón C. Edible Fruits from the Ecuadorian Amazon: Ethnobotany, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Bioactive Components. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3635. [PMID: 37896098 PMCID: PMC10610027 DOI: 10.3390/plants12203635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
In the Ecuadorian Amazon region, there are various types of edible fruits that have distinct qualities and benefits. Understanding the uses, properties, and functions of these fruits is important for researching products that are only available in local markets. This review aims to gather and summarize the existing scientific literature on the ethnobotany, physicochemical composition, and bioactive compounds of these native fruits to highlight the potential of the region's underutilized biodiversity. A systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA methodology, utilizing databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, Pubmed, Redalyc, and SciELO up to August 2023. The research identified 55 edible fruits from the Ecuadorian Amazon and reported their ethnobotanical information. The most common uses were fresh fruit consumption, preparation of typical food, and medicine. Additionally, nine native edible fruits were described for their physicochemical characteristics and bioactive components: Aphandra natalia (Balslev and Henderson) Barfod; Eugenia stipitate McVaugh; Gustavia macarenensis Philipson; Mauritia flexuosa L.f; Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) McVaugh; Oenocarpus bataua Mart; Plukenetia volubilis L.; Pouteria caimito (Ruiz and Pav.) Radlk.; and Solanum quitoense Lam. The analyzed Amazonian fruits contained bioactive compounds such as total polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. This information highlights their potential as functional foods and the need for further research on underutilized crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maritza Sánchez-Capa
- Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad de Sevilla, ETSIA Crta. de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain;
- Research Group YASUNI-SDC, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Sede Orellana, El Coca 220001, Ecuador
| | - Mireia Corell González
- Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad de Sevilla, ETSIA Crta. de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain;
- CSIC Associate Unit, “Uso Sostenible del Suelo & Agua en Agricultura”, Universidad de Sevilla IRNAS, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Carlos Mestanza-Ramón
- Research Group YASUNI-SDC, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Sede Orellana, El Coca 220001, Ecuador
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Jaramillo-Vivanco T, Balslev H, Montúfar R, Cámara RM, Giampieri F, Battino M, Cámara M, Alvarez-Suarez JM. Three Amazonian palms as underestimated and little-known sources of nutrients, bioactive compounds and edible insects. Food Chem 2022; 372:131273. [PMID: 34649030 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mauritia flexuosa, Bactris gasipaes, and Oenocarpus bataua are among the main palms in the Amazon used for food and medicinal purposes. The food most commonly derived from these are fruits, oil, and the larvae of the insect Rhynchophorus palmarum reared in their trunks. Palm fruits are used for oil extraction as they are rich in saturated fatty acids, fiber, pro-vitamin A, carotenoids, tocopherols, macro and microelements, and polyphenols. Furthermore, the larvae of R. palmarum are rich in lipids, vitamin E, and proteins. This review analyzes the chemical composition of the fruit and oil of these palm species, as well as the R. palmarum larvae that breed in them. Our aim is to present information that is not widely known in order to demonstrate the potential of these palms as sources of plant-based and animal food with high nutritional and functional values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Jaramillo-Vivanco
- Grupo de Bio-quimio Informática, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador; Programa de Doctorado en Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Henrik Balslev
- Department of Bioscience - Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Rommel Montúfar
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Rosa M Cámara
- Departamento Nutrición y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesca Giampieri
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maurizio Battino
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy; International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Montaña Cámara
- Departamento Nutrición y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José M Alvarez-Suarez
- Ingeniería en Alimentos, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador; King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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Wild Edible Fruits: A Systematic Review of an Under-Researched Multifunctional NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Product). FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10060467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Wild edible fruits (WEFs) are among the most widely used non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and important sources of nutrition, medicine, and income for their users. In addition to their use as food, WEF species may also yield fiber, fuel, and a range of processed products. Besides forests, WEF species also thrive in diverse environments, such as agroforestry and urban landscapes, deserts, fallows, natural lands, and plantations. Given the multifunctional, ubiquitous nature of WEFs, we conducted a systematic review on the literature specific to WEFs and highlighted links between different domains of the wider knowledge on NTFPs. We found that literature specific to WEFs was limited, and a majority of it reported ethnobotanical and taxonomic descriptions, with relatively few studies on landscape ecology, economics, and conservation of WEFs. Our review identifies priorities and emerging avenues for research and policymaking to promote sustainable WEF management and use, and subsequent biodiversity and habitat conservation. In particular, we recommend that ecosystem services, economic incentives, market innovations, and stakeholder synergies are incorporated into WEF conservation strategies.
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Martorell C, Martínez‐Ballesté A. Stress and disturbance determine the demographic dynamics of two grass species along a grazing gradient in Southern Mexico. POPUL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Martorell
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México Mexico
| | - Andrea Martínez‐Ballesté
- Laboratorio de Etnobotánica Ecológica Instituto de Biología‐Jardín Botánico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México Mexico
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Hindle BJ, Rees M, Sheppard AW, Quintana‐Ascencio PF, Menges ES, Childs DZ. Exploring population responses to environmental change when there is never enough data: a factor analytic approach. Methods Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bethan J. Hindle
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Mark Rees
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Andy W. Sheppard
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Canberra ACT Australia
| | | | | | - Dylan Z. Childs
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
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Browne L, Karubian J. Habitat loss and fragmentation reduce effective gene flow by disrupting seed dispersal in a neotropical palm. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:3055-3069. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Browne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana
- Foundation for the Conservation of the Tropical Andes Quito Ecuador
- UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science Institute of the Environment and Sustainability University of California Los Angeles California
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana
- Foundation for the Conservation of the Tropical Andes Quito Ecuador
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Bertwell TD, Kainer KA, Cropper WP, Staudhammer CL, Oliveira Wadt LH. Are Brazil nut populations threatened by fruit harvest? Biotropica 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Todd D. Bertwell
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611‐0410 USA
| | - Karen A. Kainer
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611‐0410 USA
- Center for Latin American Studies University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611 USA
| | - Wendell P. Cropper
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611‐0410 USA
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