Ninth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Amaranthus has been rediscovered as a promising food crop mainly due to its ability to endure and thrive in diverse environments. Amaranth leaves are rich in proteins and micronutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin C and vitamin A. However, little is known regarding the diversity of chemical constituents of the crop that are directly linked to its health benefiting attributes. In South Africa, Amaranthus crops are mostly gathered from the wild, in some areas, women gather the vegetables from their gardens or nearby farms as the leaves often grow like a weed alongside maize. The cultivation of Amaranthus species is still rare, and efforts are being made to market and commercialize these valuable crops. A lot of work has been done in improving the agronomic conditions of growing Amaranthus species and other African leafy vegetables outside their natural habitat. However, there has been no study done to compare the effects of cultivation on the chemical profile of Amaranthus species. In this study, we investigate the influence of cultivation and environment on the chemical profile of both the cultivated and wild A. cruentus and A. hybridus by multivariate statistical analysis of spectral data deduced by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). High levels of some important metabolites related to abiotic stress (drought) were found in wild Amaranthus species. Moreover, it was observed that wild Amaranthus had a high concentration of constituents that are precursors of secondary metabolites that are linked to medicinal properties.