Bioprospecting of underutilized mangrove fruits used by coastal communities in the Odisha coast, India: a review.

Abstract

Mangrove bioresources are considered as promising for bioprospecting due to rich biological diversity such as food, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial sectors. Mangrove fruits are one of the most important bioresource used by coastal communities of Odisha, India and contributing significantly to food security and livelihood. However, some potential and functional mangrove fruits which are still underutilized and underexplored due to escaped attention and scientific inquiry. Therefore, the present review aims to provide a comprehensive study of edibility, socio-economic importance, nutritional, antinutritional, and antioxidant properties of mangrove fruits of Odisha. Several fruits such as Aegiceras corniculatum, Heritiera fomes, Kandelia candel, Sonneratia apetala, and Sueda maritima which are nutritious and also used in pharmaceutical industries to produce anticancer, antidiabetic, antitumor, and other therapeutic agents. Hence, bioprospecting, conservation, and commercialization of underutilized mangrove fruits can be a potential way of ensuring food, medicine, and nutritional security in future.