Bamboo shoot and its food applications in last decade: An undervalued edible resource from forest to feed future people

Abstract

BackgroundBamboo shoots, as a representative non-wood forest product, have a long history as a food source and have gained interests from scientists and industry for their potential as a sustainable nutrition resource to address the needs of future populations and ensure food security. Bamboo shoots are abundant in proteins, fibers, minerals, vitamins and many bioactive components, while being low in fat, making them highly valuable in terms of nutrition and health benefits. Scope and approachThis review comprehensively examines the consumption and processing history, nutritional composition, and potential health benefits of bamboo shoots as a sustainable nutrition resource. It further explores the newly developed functional ingredients and their applications in culinary and other value-added food products. Key findings and conclusionsBamboo shoots possess various bioactive components, which contributes to potential health benefits including antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, cancer control effect, prevention of obesity, diabetes, and other diseases. Additionally, numerous functional ingredients such as dietary fibers, polysaccharides, proteins, and antioxidant extracts derived from bamboo shoots have been developed in recent years. Despite their potential, the utilization of bamboo shoots in the current food industry faces limitations, particularly concerning toxicity and sensory aspects that need to be addressed for worldwide consumption. Efforts are recommended to promote awareness, close the knowledge gap, and conduct long-term studies on consumer acceptance of bamboo shoot consumption. Additionally, it is important to overcome challenges faced by the food industry in scaling up shoot-based functional food production. These initiatives will contribute to the broader utilization of bamboo shoots as a sustainable nutrition resource.