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New Perspectives in the Utilization of African Leafy Vegetables

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Food Security and Safety Volume 2

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Abstract

Over the years, leafy vegetables have served as a source of income to the poor resource segment of the Nigerian populace. Due to the density of nutrients in these vegetables, they have been recognized as a major source of supply of micro- and macronutrients in many households, especially where malnutrition is on the rise. They are either used as part of ingredients for meals or as major material for soup preparation. Inadequate utilization of leafy vegetables as ingredients in the industry is a way of underutilizing the vast nutrients in these leaves. However, the use of the by-products of these leafy vegetables such as the leaf powder, leaf slurry, polyphenols, proteins and peptides in improving the nutritional and bioactive properties of some food commodities such as snack, cookies, bread, fruit juice and maize ogi may help to take these vegetables out of pots to the industries. This chapter discusses the various ways by which the leaves may be put in various use rather than the conventional means as ingredient in vegetable soup preparations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    K. A. Taiwo

  2. Department of Food Science and Technology, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Nigeria

    A. A. Famuwagun

Authors
  1. K. A. Taiwo
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  2. A. A. Famuwagun
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Correspondence to K. A. Taiwo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Food Security and Safety Focus Area Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa

    Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

  2. Food Security and Safety Focus Area Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa

    Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro

  3. Food Security and Safety Focus Area Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa

    Omena Bernard Ojuederie

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Taiwo, K.A., Famuwagun, A.A. (2023). New Perspectives in the Utilization of African Leafy Vegetables. In: Babalola, O.O., Ayangbenro, A.S., Ojuederie, O.B. (eds) Food Security and Safety Volume 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09614-3_10

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