Inventory of human-edible products from native Acacia sensu lato in Africa, America, and Asia: Spotlight on Senegalia seeds, overlooked wild legumes in the arid tropics

Abstract

Acacia s.l. is a newly revised genus whose plant species are quintessential in the pantropical, arid, and hunger-prone areas. They provide multiple ecosystem services and a range of edible products for humans. Their food uses are manifestly in the continuum of their medicinal applications, mirroring candidate materials to develop novel healthy food products. Yet, edible Acacia plant products have been overlooked, underresearched, and poorly disseminated for a very long time. This review inventories comprehensively edible products from native Acacia plants in Africa, America, and Asia, critically discusses their food potential for humans, identifies research gaps, and provides bases for further research. Interestingly, the seeds from Senegalia, the second-largest and refined Acacia segregate, appear to be the most promising food materials and are consequently highlighted.

Keywords: Acacia; Edible non-conventional plants; Food and medicine continuum; Food security; Nutritional values; Senegalia.