Abstract
Many African countries are endowed with rich biodiversity with enormous nutritional and economic prospects, but the majority of these resources are not fully harnessed. Exploring these neglected resources, for example, the Transvaal red milkwood tree [(Mimusops zeyheri) Sond. family: Sapotaceae] is of paramount importance for food and nutritional security as well as economic prosperity. This review provides a critical appraisal of the nutritional and health benefits as well as the economic potential of Mimusops zeyheri. The plant is known for its diverse uses among rural communities. In folk medicine, the decoction from the bark and leaves of Mimusops zeyheri are used for treating wounds and ulcers, while the root is used as an infusion taken to treat candidiasis and other health issues. The nutritional profile of the fruit tree is similar to popular exotic fruits and richer in vitamin C when compared to guava and orange. Mimusops zeyheri is a rich source of vitamins, protein, and fatty acids. Based on the rich chemical pool, especially in the fruit and seeds, it has the potential to provide an accessible, readily available, and affordable enriched functional food with valuable health benefits. However, the successful exploration of Mimusops zeyheri for food security and sustainability requires multidisciplinary research. This will help achieve the envisaged food-nutrition security and poverty alleviation potential of the plant, especially among local communities.
Highlights
Combating malnutrition and poverty remains key in the face of the increasing global population as more than 820 million individuals in the world faced hunger in 2018
These two (2) aforementioned indigenous fruit trees flourish in a similar environment as Mimusops zeyheri in southern Africa
Mimusops zeyheri has been traditionally used by rural peoples in southern Africa
Summary
Combating malnutrition and poverty remains key in the face of the increasing global population as more than 820 million individuals (translating into one out of every nine people) in the world faced hunger in 2018 This highlights the immense challenge of achieving the United Nations Sustainable. Inaccessibility and low financial capacity/purchasing power to afford the popular commercially available fruits This problem remains common in rural communities where the diets mainly consist of monotonous foods, mainly starchy, and a few legume staples [11]. This review explored the nutritional and health benefits as well as the economic potential of the underutilized Mimusops zeyheri as a fruit tree for potential sustainability. What are the challenges associated with the potential commercialization and sustainability of Mimusops zeyheri?
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