Application of Calcium Chloride-Sodium Alginate to Improve the Texture of Quick-Frozen Heracleum moellendorffii

Heat-soak and quick freezing could deteriorate the texture of vegetables. In this work, it was found that calcium chloride-sodium alginate (SA) could improve the appearance, brittleness, and chewiness of processed Heracleum moellendorffii (HM), a kind of popular nutritious wild vegetable in China. The effect resulted from the increase of calcium content in the vegetable, which was closely related to the ratio of calcium chloride to SA, the concentration of texture retaining agent, and soaking time significantly ( P < 0.01 ). The best way to maintain the texture was to soak HM in 4 g/L of calcium chloride-SA (mass ratio 1 : 2) at 50°C for 30 minutes. The calcium content was increased to 71.56 mg/100g, and the brittleness and chewiness were 4630 gf and 2583.33 gf, respectively. The microstructure found that calcium could adhere to an inherent position on the cell membrane and protected the sample from cell damage and chloroplast spilling from the cell during thawing and quick freezing. The results showed that calcium chloride-SA treatment may be a promising method to improve the texture of vegetables during quick-frozen storage.

A Review of a medicinal and edible plant: Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem.

: Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem. (Araliaceae), which is the key point of this review, has served in the treatment of diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in traditional folk medicine in East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Russia), also is a precious wild vegetable. This review aims to overview current research results related to Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem., with particular emphasis on chemical composition and biological activity. Search the existing research through the database, summarize and find that it has a certain therapeutic effect on a variety of chronic diseases such as: malignant tumors, cardiocerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and its complications, etc. Additionally, it is loved by people in East Asia due to its rich taste as a wild vegetable. In conclusion, it offers the possibility of developing innovative pharmacological drugs as well as health food. Thus, it is critical to prove its validity and clarify the exact action mechanisms that promote it as a pharmacological drug. This review is expected to provide direction for future research.

Ethnobotanical investigation of wild vegetables used among local communities in northwest Pakistan

Wild vegetables can contribute to people’s food security and health. In northwest Pakistan, almost 40% of the households are classified as food insecure, due to increasing population and natural and man-made catastrophes. There is an urgent need to get an overview of still existing practices of wild vegetable use and to incorporate such knowledge into agricultural policies. The present study, therefore, aims to collect and analyze information on the most widely and commonly used wild vegetables in northwest Pakistan. Semistructured interviews were performed with 126 informants (26–78-year old) from all 24 districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Information on culinary and medicinal use, cooking methods, and growing and harvest season were collected. A rating scale was used to get the opinion on quality, abundance, and use frequency of wild vegetables. Information on trading was gathered on local and regional markets. Transect walks were done with key informants for specimen collection. A total of 25 wild vegetable species (21 genera, 13 families) were documented. Most of them are herbs (22 spp.). One third of the species needs processing or detoxification prior to cooking. Taste and food quality as perceived by the local people are the main driver for use frequency and commercialization. Length of availability varies from 2 to 7 months with <em>Rumex dentatus</em> and <em>Vicia faba</em> also available during the winter season. Overall, 21 spp. are also used medicinally, mainly for gastrointestinal diseases. Leaves are the preferred plant part for both vegetables and medicines. Nine species are sold in markets, <em>Bauhinia variegata</em> and <em>Caralluma tuberculata</em> throughout the whole province. Local communities in northwest Pakistan have a broad knowledge of local plant use, especially on wild vegetables and their adequate processing. The present study suggests that the most commonly used wild vegetables should be promoted to reinforce food safety and most of them may also be commercialized. Conservation priority has to be given to the commercially harvested <em>Caralluma tuberculata</em>, which is presently overexploited.