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The Chorote Indians are hunter-gatherers and fishermen from north-west Argentina and south-west Paraguay who belong to the Mataco-Maká linguistic family. Their edible plants are identified by botanical and vernacular names, the parts employed and modes of preparation and consumption. The Chorote people use 57 plant species as a source of food, whic...
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... Chorote are an ethnic group inhabiting the Gran Chaco region of north-west Argentina and south-west Paraguay (Fig. 1). They belong to the Mataco-Maká linguistic family together with the Mataco (or Wichí), Chulupíes and Maká people (Loukotka, 1968;Gerzen- stein, 1978). In Argentina, Chorote people live in settlements along the right bank of the Pilcomayo River in the province of Salta, up to 160 km inland, and in the vicinity of Tartagal city ...
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... research was carried out in the Chorote settlements of La Merced Vieja, La Merced Chica, La Gracia, Misión La Paz and La Bolsa (Fig. 1). These are in the Salta province along the Argentinian shores of the Pilcomayo River, which serves as a natural border with Bolivia and Paraguay, between 22 ° S, 62 ° 45 ′ W and 22 ° 30 ′ S, 62 ° 20 ′ ...
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... to food. In order to have access to this salt at any time, ash was stored in powder form in a receptacle such as a gourd, or was soaked to make dough, then molded into little balls and, finally dried in the sun. When the Chorote needed to use it, they scraped the desired quantity from the resulting balls. Wild chili ( Capsicum chacoënse A.T. Figures 7-11. Fig. 7. Woman lighting an underground oven; Fig. 8. Extraction of roasted fruits from the oven; Fig. 9. Chorote woman holding a string of dried Stetsonia coryne fruit; Fig. 10. Mode of consumption of Acmella salad; Fig. 11. ...
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... and, finally dried in the sun. When the Chorote needed to use it, they scraped the desired quantity from the resulting balls. Wild chili ( Capsicum chacoënse A.T. Figures 7-11. Fig. 7. Woman lighting an underground oven; Fig. 8. Extraction of roasted fruits from the oven; Fig. 9. Chorote woman holding a string of dried Stetsonia coryne fruit; Fig. 10. Mode of consumption of Acmella salad; Fig. 11. ...
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... needed to use it, they scraped the desired quantity from the resulting balls. Wild chili ( Capsicum chacoënse A.T. Figures 7-11. Fig. 7. Woman lighting an underground oven; Fig. 8. Extraction of roasted fruits from the oven; Fig. 9. Chorote woman holding a string of dried Stetsonia coryne fruit; Fig. 10. Mode of consumption of Acmella salad; Fig. 11. ...
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... Irula tribes of Hasanur Hills, Tamil Nadu, India, and Kattunaikka, Paniya and Kuruma tribes of Wayanad district, Kerala, India has a history of consuming the fruits of S. virginianum (Kumar and Pandey 2014). In Argentina and Paraguay, the Chorote Indians eat the fruits of S. sisymbriifolium as food (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). Fruits of S. sisymbriifolium are used in preparation for culinary applications and tastes like a mixture of tart cherry and tomato. ...
The nutritional and medicinal wealth found in wild Solanum species is abundant, yet frequently goes unnoticed. Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. and S. virginianum L. are two spiny species found worldwide in the Solanum genus, offering various medicinal and nutritional benefits. Chromosomal analysis, an essential component of genomic research for preserving plant genetic resources, has been notably overlooked in these two species. To our current knowledge, there is a lack of adequate karyotype data for S. sisymbriifolium, and the information available for S. virginianum is nearly non-existent. The present study includes establishing a standardized process involving enzymatic maceration of the cell wall, subsequent staining using the non-fluorescent dye Giemsa, and employing a fluorescent stain, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The standardized enzymatic maceration and air drying (EMA) method yields fine chromosome dispersion, effectively eliminating cytoplasmic background interference. Both species exhibit a somatic cell chromosome count of 2n=24. Their karyotypes are symmetric and classified under the 3A category in Stebbins' classification. DAPI staining reveals distinct positive bands in S. sisymbriifolium, whereas S. virginianum exhibits uniform staining. This investigation will significantly enhance the chromosomal database, proving invaluable for breeding programs aimed at enhancing the quality of these wild Solanum species.
... The fruit is also a source of the anticancerous steroidal glycoalkaloid solasodine, which is used as a precursor for the synthesis of corticosteroids and steroidal sex hormones (Hill and Hulley 1995). Several individual scientific reports have been published on this plant, focusing on different aspects such as phytochemistry, pharmacology, nutritional value, ethnobotanical uses, reproductive biology, cytology, in vitro culture, molecular biology, etc., which validated the importance of this species (Acosta et al. 2005;Ferro et al. 2005;Arenas and Scarpa 2007;Moehninsi et al. 2015;Saha and Datta 2017;Wixom et al. 2018;Deb et al. 2019;Figueiredo et al. 2021). A solitary review article on its ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacological relevance has also been published (More 2017). ...
... Traditionally S. sisymbriifolium has been used as a means of food and medicine. In northwest Argentina and southwest Paraguay, the Chorote Indians use the fruits of the plant as a source of food, by boiling the fruits or eating the raw fruits (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). Fruits of S. sisymbriifolium taste like a mixture of tart cherry and tomato and are used in the making of culinary applications, for example, preserves, fruit tarts, chutneys, jams, sauces, salads, pies, sorbets, and wine (Weaver 2009;Moehninsi et al. 2015). ...
Hunger and malnutrition caused by the exploding world population, emerging antibiotic resistance and novel strains of pathogenic organisms causing diseases unbeknownst to humanity have increased the importance of underutilised plants as unexplored natural product resources for nutrition and medicine. The vegetable family Solanaceae houses several renowned medicinal plants, many of them being wild and utilised by native people throughout the world since ancient times. Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam., native to South America, has been used for its edible fruits and as traditional remedies by the indigenous people. It is currently spreading throughout the world as an invasive species due to its adaptive nature and high disease resistance. However, unlike in South America, this plant is not exploited as much around the world, due to a lack of knowledge of its utilities. This review summarises various published reports on S. sisymbriifolium biology and beneficial features, fetched from ScienceDirect, Pubmed, Springer, and Google Scholar, using search terms “S. sisymbriifolium”, “phytochemistry”, “pharmacology”, “nutrition”, which validated the medicinal and nutritional properties of its natural products. It is deliberated to popularise this plant so that scientists and common people can consider it a source of nutrition and pharmaceuticals in the future.
... The mineral content varies with physiochemical properties and topographic position within an ecosystem (Kutbay & Ok 2001). Plant species take the mineral elements in different concentration and accumulate them in various tissues (Arenas & Scarpa 2007). Mineral ions are of prime importance in determining the fruit nutritional value. ...
Background: In the rural areas of Himachal Pradesh, poor and tribal people depend on a variety of wild plants, animals, and fungi for their own consumption and for income generation. Despite their role in bridging periods of food shortages and providing dietary variety, most of wild edible plants are not accessed for nutritional potential. This is particularly true for the district of Kinnaur (a predominantly tribal area) of Himachal Pradesh. Hence, the present study was carried out to study the nutrient content of ten wild edible fruit species growing in the district
of Kinnaur. The species included Berberis aristata, Elaeagnus umbellata, Hippophae salicifolia, Malus baccata, Prunus cornuta, Prunus persica, Pyrus pashia, Ramaria botrytis, Rosa webbiana and Viburnum cotinifolium.
Methods: The samples collected from the identified plants were cleaned, dried, powdered and stored in airtight containers for laboratory analysis. Fresh fruit pulp was used for measurement of pH, titratable acidity, total soluble
solids (TSS) and ascorbic acid. Fresh weight of fruit pulp was recorded by using a digital balance and the samples were later oven dried (60°C) for moisture content determination (AOAC, 2006). All the dried samples were pulverized in pestle and mortar into fine powder separately and stored in airtight containers, free from contamination till other parameters were determined. All the parameters were evaluated in triplicates, results were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and reported as mean ± standard error.
Results: The moisture content of the fruits varied from 58.76% to 89.75% while pH values ranged from 2.91 to 3.86.
The crude protein of species varied between 0.38% - 4.58%. Prunus cornuta contained high amount of total soluble solids, TSS (18.53o Brix). The acidity in the fruits ranged between 0.47-2.73%. The total carbohydrate content varied
between 19.52% and 78.40%. The highest sugars (7.60%) were observed in the fruits of Viburnum cotinifolium. Total phenols ranged in between 0.26-1.47%. The maximum ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activity was recorded in fruits of Hippophae salicifolia. These wild edible plants had also significant amounts of minerals.
Conclusion: The study shows that these wild edible plant species are good sources of nutrition for rural population. Keeping in view the nutritional values and commercial potential, these important species need to be conserved in their natural habitats and should be included in traditional agricultural systems. Domestication of these species will not only improve the economic condition of the local people but also aid in the conservation of biodiversity.
... On the other hand, downstream populations living near to the Pilcomayo consist mostly of traditionally hunter-gatherer peoples that depend on fish for their subsistence and use whatever water they can get for consumption (Smolders et al. 2003;Stassen et al. 2012). These exposing conditions are worsened by the fact that downstream waters are heavily polluted during the dry season (that coincides with the southern winter) as the mining effluents are less diluted (Smolders et al. 2002) and it is then that these peoples depend mostly on water and fish from the Pilcomayo since other sources of food and water in winter are scarce or nonexistent (Arenas 2003;Arenas and Scarpa 2007;Valeggia et al. 2010). However, some of these populations and fisheries in the Bolivian lower basin are not keen to denounce pollution from mining. ...
The Pilcomayo River is unique in several ways, including its massive sediment load, one of the world’s largest alluvial fans, and a constantly changing channel that occasionally blocks and overflows over vast areas. Most of the northern half of the Province of Formosa (Argentina) is covered by the vast wetland system known as the Bañado La Estrella, in the middle Pilcomayo basin. Due to repeated obstructions of the channel that functioned as the border between Argentina and Paraguay, the Bañado La Estrella expanded from the 1920s until the 1990s, when both nations agreed to the Pantalón project: They divided the river in two out of concern over losing complete access to resources like water and fish. Since then, the middle Pilcomayo basin has been subject to constant engineering works to prevent further changes (dams, channel construction, and dredging), and efforts to promote conservation and ecotourism such as its declaration as one of the 7 New Natural Wonders of Argentina. This article analyzes three environmental problems of the middle Pilcomayo basin and Bañado La Estrella that mainly affect rural and indigenous communities. Using the conceptual framework of wicked problems, we state that these issues are often conceptualized or explained in contradictory ways, both within and between different social groups. Also, they do not present straightforward solutions, but are best addressed with more democratic and bottom-up approaches. Finally, we suggest that science’s function should be to contribute to basin resilience by enhancing these approaches and informing decisions while preserving complexity in the discussion.
... Still, no data on the biological activities of these species have been collected to date. The fleshy part of the fruits of Harrisia are edible and used locally by humans (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). Alkaloids have been reported in Harrisia spp. in Cuba (Martínez Betancourt 1995) and the phenylpropanoid alkaloids tyramine and hordenine, which are common in the related genus Echinopsis and in other species of the subfamily Cactoideae (Agurell et al. 1971), have also been found in these species. ...
... Uses. The pungent fruits are locally used as spicy food additives for both local and indigenous people (National Research Council 1989;Arenas and Scarpa 2007;Biurrun et al. 2007;Scarpa 2007;Martínez Crovetto 2014;Montani and Scarpa 2016;Saur Palmieri et al. 2018). In regional markets, fruits are sold fresh or as pickles in oil or vinegar (Barboza, pers. ...
Capsicum L. (tribe Capsiceae, Solanaceae) is an American genus distributed ranging from the southern United States of America to central Argentina and Brazil. The genus includes chili peppers, bell peppers, ajíes, habaneros, jalapeños, ulupicas and pimientos, well known for their economic importance around the globe. Within the Solanaceae, the genus can be recognised by its shrubby habit, actinomorphic flowers, distinctive truncate calyx with or without appendages, anthers opening by longitudinal slits, nectaries at the base of the ovary and the variously coloured and usually pungent fruits. The highest diversity of this genus is located along the northern and central Andes. Although Capsicum has been extensively studied and great advances have been made in the understanding of its taxonomy and the relationships amongst species, there is no monographic treatment of the genus as a whole. Based on morphological and molecular evidence studied from field and herbarium specimens, we present here a comprehensive taxonomic treatment for the genus, including updated information about morphology, anatomy, karyology, phylogeny and distribution. We recognise 43 species and five varieties, including C. mirum Barboza, sp. nov. from São Paulo State, Brazil and a new combination C. muticum (Sendtn.) Barboza, comb. nov. ; five of these taxa are cultivated worldwide (C. annuum L. var. annuum, C. baccatum L. var. pendulum (Willd.) Eshbaugh, C. baccatum L. var. umbilicatum (Vell.) Hunz. & Barboza, C. chinense Jacq. and C. frutescens L.). Nomenclatural revision of the 265 names attributed to chili peppers resulted in 89 new lectotypifications and five new neotypifications. Identification keys and detailed descriptions, maps and illustrations for all taxa are provided.
... The infructescence possesses a globose shape and has dozens of tricarpelar berries (4 × 2.5 cm size), containing reddish-brown seeds (Barberis et al., 2011;Montero et al., 2017). Several ethnic groups from the Chaco region of Argentina use their fresh fruits as food and their leaves to manufacture textile products (Arenas & Scarpa, 2007). The objective of this work was to extract peptidases from B. serra fruits in an aqueous buffer, to advance in the characterization of the proteolytic system by determining both the molecular mass of the peptidases and their catalytic type, and to verify their working conditions (optimal pH range and thermal stability) by expanding the scan range with respect to that employed in a previous study (Caffini et al., 1988). ...
A crude extract with proteolytic activity was prepared from edible fruits of Bromelia serra, containing cysteine peptidases with molecular masses between 24.1 and 25.9 kDa. The extract presented an optimal pH range of 6.03‒9.05, retained more than 80% of activity after thermal pre-treatments at 23, 37, and 45°C (120 min), but it was rapidly inactivated after 10 min at 75°C. These proteases were employed to hydrolyze soybean proteins, bovine casein and bovine whey, achieving degrees of hydrolysis of 18.3 ± 0.6, 29.1 ± 0.7, and 12.6 ± 0.9% (55°C, 180 min), respectively. The casein 180 min-hydrolysate (55°C) presented the maximum value of antioxidant activity (2.89 ± 0.12 mg/mL Trolox), and the whey protein 180 min-hydrolysate (55°C) showed the highest percentage of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (91.9 ± 1.2%). This low-cost enzymatic preparation would be promising for the food industry because it requires mild working conditions and yields hydrolysates with biological activities useful as ingredients for functional food.
Practical application
Proteolytic enzymes are employed in the food industry in a wide variety of processes since they modify the properties of proteins causing beneficial effects such as improvement digestibility, diminution of allergenicity, and release of bioactive peptides. Fruits from Bromelia serra possess cysteine peptidases that could be used in food biotechnology because they are capable to hydrolyze soybean and milk proteins by mild working conditions and to provoke the release of bioactive peptides. These hydrolysates containing antioxidative and ACE-inhibitor activities would be useful as ingredients for functional foods or as nutraceuticals, which are nowadays two products highly required by consumers.
... La pulpa de pajagua naranja puede ser consumida en estado fresco directamente, sin embargo, las semillas pueden ser estacionadas y para consumirlas deben ser sometidas a una cocción con sucesivos cambios de agua. Posteriormente se prepara una pasta en forma redonda que suele ir acompañada con grasas o aceites comestibles (Arenas & Scarpa, 2007;Polini & Lopez, 2013). En un trabajo Pelotto & Pero (1998) observaron que los frutos de pajagua naranja contenían fitoquímicos como quercentina, kaempferol y rhamnetina, a la luz de nuestro conocimiento, único reporte de composición química de estos frutos. ...
Los frutos de Anisocapparis speciosa son nativas de la Ecoregión del Gran Chaco, crecen de manera silvestre en todo este territorio, su pulpa y semillas son comestibles y muy apreciadas por las poblaciones indígenas que lo habitan, además de otros usos con propiedades medicinales atribuidas por conocimientos etnobotánicos, pero no se tienen datos sobre la composición de estos frutos regionales y sus potenciales aplicaciones. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la composición de la pulpa y semillas de frutos en estado maduro, y el potencial antioxidante en diferentes estadíos de madurez. La composición proximal, el contenido de minerales, vitamina C y solidos solubles se realizaron según metodologías oficiales de la AOAC. Los fenoles totales se determinaron por el método de Folin Ciocalteau y la capacidad antioxidante total por medio de la inhibición del radical ABTS. Los componentes mayoritarios en pulpa y semillas fueron carhobidratos y fibra alimentaria. La pulpa madura posee un buen contenido de vitamina C (20 mg/100g). El contenido de fenoles y capacidad antioxidante total fue mayor en la pulpa que en la semillas en estados inmaduros. Los frutos de Anisocapparis speciosa pueden representar una buena fuente de carbohidratos, fibra alimentaria, Mg y vitamina C en la dieta. La pulpa y semillas son fuentes de antioxidantes naturales. Estudios futuros sobre métodos postcosecha, almacenamiento y procesamiento serán necesarios para potenciar su uso y re-valorización en el marco de la Seguridad alimentaria en la población regional. The native Anisocapparis speciosa fruits from Gran Chaco Ecoregion, they grow wild throughout this territory, their edible pulp and seeds are highly appreciated by the indigenous populations that inhabit it, in addition to other uses with medicinal properties attributed by ethnobotanicals knowledge, but there are no data on the composition of these regional fruits and their potential applications. The aims of the present work were to analyze the pulp and seeds composition of fruits in the ripe state, and the antioxidant potential in different stages of maturity. The proximal composition, minerals content, vitamin C and soluble solids were carried out according to official AOAC methodologies. The total phenolics compounds (TPC) by the Folin Ciocalteau method and the total antioxidant capacity by means of the inhibition of the radical ABTS were evaluated. The main components in pulp and seeds were carbohydrates and dietary fiber. The ripe pulp has a good content of vitamin C (20 mg/100g). The content of TPC and total antioxidant capacity (ABTS radical scavenging) was higher in pulp than in the seeds, in immature stages. The Anisocapparis speciosa fruits can represent a good source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, Mg and vitamin C in the diet of regional populations. The pulp and seeds are sources of natural antioxidants. Future studies on post-harvest, storage and processing methods will be necessary to enhance its use and re-valorization within the Food Security framework.
... The Toba and Whichí of the Paraguayan Chaco consume the fresh fruits, and the Lengua-Maskoy ferment them to prepare aloja (Peña-Chocarro et al. 2006). The apex extracted from the local palm C. alba was mentioned for use by the Chorote Indians in Argentina although unexploited at present (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). A liquor was developed from the pulp of fruits harvested (Silva 2018). ...
... Other three species with edible fruits, P. alba Griseb, P. nigra Hieron., and P. Hassl., were also recorded for the Brazilian Chaco in the municipality of Porto Murtinho (Sartori et al. 2018). An algarroba beer prepared from fruits of P. alba, the "aloja de algarroba" (in local Spanish), is an ancient alcoholic drink of the Whichís (Argentina and Bolivia) (Cano et al. 2020) and other indigenous peoples from the Gran Chaco in South America (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). ...
There has been growing academic interest in food plants. This is a subject that lies at the frontiers of knowledge of various areas, such as environmental sciences, nutrition, public health, and humanities. To date, however, we do not have a book bringing these multi-disciplinary perspectives to bear on this complex field.
This book presents the current state of knowledge on Brazilian food plants through a multidisciplinary approach, including an overview of food plants in Brazil, as well as comprehensive nutritional data. It compiles basic theories on the interrelationship between biodiversity and the security of food and nutrition, ethnobotanical knowledge of Brazilian food plants, as well as various methods of learning and teaching, including through social media, artificial intelligence, and through workshops.
... The Toba and Whichí of the Paraguayan Chaco consume the fresh fruits, and the Lengua-Maskoy ferment them to prepare aloja (Peña-Chocarro et al. 2006). The apex extracted from the local palm C. alba was mentioned for use by the Chorote Indians in Argentina although unexploited at present (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). A liquor was developed from the pulp of fruits harvested (Silva 2018). ...
... Other three species with edible fruits, P. alba Griseb, P. nigra Hieron., and P. Hassl., were also recorded for the Brazilian Chaco in the municipality of Porto Murtinho (Sartori et al. 2018). An algarroba beer prepared from fruits of P. alba, the "aloja de algarroba" (in local Spanish), is an ancient alcoholic drink of the Whichís (Argentina and Bolivia) (Cano et al. 2020) and other indigenous peoples from the Gran Chaco in South America (Arenas and Scarpa 2007). ...
Cacti such as Cereus jamacaru DC. (mandacaru), Opuntia fícus-indica (prickly pear), Nopalea cochenillifera (cochineal cactus), and Pilosocereus gounellei (xique-xique), found in the Caatinga biome, in the semiarid region in northeastern Brazil, have been highlighted for their environmental, economic, and medicinal importance, as well as their use in animal and human food. They are expressive sources of phenolic compounds, sugars and fibers, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Recent studies have verified their antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The prebiotic effect and its benefits on the intestinal health and on an individual’s general health status have been increasingly evident. The fruits are appreciated when consumed in natura, and the pulp extracted from the stem is used in preparing various products such as cocada (coconut candy), cakes, cookies, sweets, jellies, flour, juices, bakery products, stews, etc. In addition, the use of xique-xique may be highlighted in popular medicine for constipation, gastritis, urethra and prostate inflammation, jaundice, and hypoglycemia; mandacaru has medicinal use for urethral problems, syphilis, cervical spine pain, respiratory problems, gastric ulcers, infections in the liver or kidneys, and diabetes and scurvy control; and prickly pear and cochineal have therapeutic potential for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, ulcers, and bacterial and viral infections. Although they are mostly consumed in periods when there is a lack of food, its valorization and cultural recovery have occurred with their use as “unconventional food plants” due to the demand for functional foods and the search for new herbal medicines. This chapter aims to present the nutritional composition of Brazilian food plants of the Caatinga biome, especially xique-xique, mandacaru, prickly pear, and cochineal. Informative abstract: Cacti found in the Caatinga biome, in the semiarid region in northeastern Brazil, have been highlighted for their environmental, economic, and medicinal importance, as well as their use in animal and human food. They are expressive sources of phenolic compounds, sugars and fibers, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Recent studies have verified their antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The prebiotic effect and its benefits on the intestinal health and on an individual’s general health status have been increasingly evident. Although they are mostly consumed in periods when there is a lack of food, its valorization and cultural recovery have occurred with their use as “unconventional food plants” due to the demand for functional foods and the search for new herbal medicines. This chapter aims to present the nutritional composition of Brazilian food plants of the Caatinga biome, especially Cereus jamacaru DC. (mandacaru), Opuntia fícus-indica (prickly pear), Nopalea cochenillifera (cochineal cactus), and Pilosocereus gounellei (xique-xique).
