Resurrecting forgotten crops: Food-based products from potential underutilized crops a path to nutritional security and diversity

Abstract

Underutilized crops, often overlooked in mainstream agriculture, possess significant potential to address global challenges in food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. These crops, including quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, teff, millets, bambara groundnut, winged bean, lablab bean, moringa, and jackfruit, are rich in essential nutrients, bioactive compounds, and possess significant environmental adaptability. Despite their nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits, their commercialization has been limited due to historical neglect, yield variability, and underdeveloped supply chains. This review explores their nutritional and phytochemical profiles and emphasize their potential for innovative food applications and future smart foods. These crops are increasingly used to develop gluten-free bakery items, protein-rich snacks, meat analogues, fermented beverages, and functional foods. Additionally, this review discusses challenges such as fragmented data, limited consumer awareness, policy gaps and highlights strategies to overcome these obstacles. This review not only serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders but also provides actionable insights to mainstream these crops to promote more diverse, sustainable, and resilient food systems.