Large-scale production of non-conventional edible plants for biodiverse school meals

School feeding programs are important for ensuring food security and promoting child health and development, particularly in low-income countries. In view of this importance, it is possible to increase the quality of these meals by diversifying the vegetables offered and incorporating underutilized...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Frontiers in nutrition (Lausanne) Vol. 11; p. 1282618
Main Authors:	Ranieri, Guilherme Reis, Madeira, Nuno Rodrigo, Slater, Betzabeth, de Toledo Marchesi, Mariana, Delgado de Oliveira, Maria Angela, Badue, Ana Flávia Borges, Mauad, Thais
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 30-04-2024
Subjects:	food biodiversity non-conventional vegetables nutrient-rich plants Nutrition public policy school feeding underutilized food plants non-conventional vegetables underutilized food plants food biodiversity nutrient-rich plants school feeding non-conventional edible plants public policy
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Summary:	School feeding programs are important for ensuring food security and promoting child health and development, particularly in low-income countries. In view of this importance, it is possible to increase the quality of these meals by diversifying the vegetables offered and incorporating underutilized plants to improve dietary diversity and nutritional quality into school meals. This study was carried out using the action research methodology following the implementation and development of the "Inova na Horta" project in the city of Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil. The project was based on the existing and functioning physical and organizational structure of a municipal organic farm. Vegetables were selected from among 210 non-conventional species and varieties, which were further selected for continuous production based on 8 nutritional, culinary and cultivation criteria. Thirty-four vegetables were selected for continuous cultivation and provisions to the school kitchens. Nine tons of vegetables were produced and provided to 90 municipal schools from 2020-2023. Leafy vegetables accounted for most the production, with a total weight of 6441 kg corresponding to 71.6% of the total harvest. Kitchen teams were trained throughout the project duration. The feasibility of the production and culinary use of 34 biodiverse, nutrient-rich and underutilized food vegetables for school meals was demonstrated. The selected vegetables are nutrient-rich and contain higher amounts of minerals and proteins than the control vegetables (conventional vegetables), thus complementing several nutrients in school meals. This methodology can be replicated by municipalities of various sizes as a public policy of food and nutritional security associated with the valorization of local biodiversity.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 Edited by: Reza Rastmanesh, American Physical Society, United States Jayashree Arcot, University of New South Wales, Australia Reviewed by: Rohit Bhatia, Indo-Soviet Friendship College of Pharmacy, India
ISSN:	2296-861X 2296-861X
DOI:	10.3389/fnut.2024.1282618