Ancient and native fruits from Northwestern Argentina and their derived flours as the next generation of functional foods

Abstract

Argentina has an incredible biodiversity of non-timber forest products, including edible fruit species with high nutritional value and therapeutic properties that have been used since ancient times by local indigenous communities. Some of them are resilient to climate change and are adapted to living in arid environments, while others grow in the forests of Argentina. Various fruits and flours derived from them have been incorporated into the Argentine Food Code (AFC), a fact which has helped them come under the radar of the public and thus has expanded the possibility of use as either fresh fruits or processed mainly as alternative functional powders and flours. The growing consumer preference for nutrient-rich, multifunctional foods with clean labels, coupled with favorable global regulations, is accelerating the demand for ancient and native fruits and for alternative flours that are gluten-free, allergen-free, rich in protein, fiber and bioactive compounds that provide health benefits through their antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, antiatherogenic, and anticancer activities, among others. Therefore, our objective is to highlight the Argentine ancient and native fruits, and the flours derived from them that are included in the AFC, as strong candidates for improving global human health in the 21st century. The present article attempts to demonstrate that each of them has a unique nutritional and phytochemical profile and functional properties.