Himalayan Fruits and Berries: Bioactive Compounds, Uses and Nutraceutical Potential presents nutraceutical fruits and berries from the Himalayan region and highlights their potential use in nutraceutical products. Beginning with the introduction of the Himalayan region and its wild fruits, this book explores various kinds of wild fruits and berries. It includes coverage of traditional, ethnomedicinal, and local uses of potential nutraceutical fruits and analyzes their distribution, availability, and cultivation methods. The book also provides a detailed summary of clinical studies and presents "from field to industry" case studies. Wild fruits and berries play an important role in mitigating hunger in the developing world, and these fruits are consumed either in whole or extracted for use in nutraceutical production. Nutrition researchers, food scientists, food chemists, plant scientists, pharmacologists, as well as students or researchers working in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries exploring the use of Himalayan wild berries and fruits as new components and sources in nutraceuticals will benefit from this book. Includes coverage of the traditional, ethnomedicinal, and local uses of potential nutraceutical fruits and berries Presents bioactive chemical constituents and nutraceutical properties of Himalayan fruits and berries Addresses current challenges related to sustainable utilization, mass production, and the transfer from field to the industry of potential nutraceutical fruits and berries

Wild fruits play an important role in mitigating hunger in the developing world. As a sustainable and natural food source in rural areas, these fruits have a strong effect on regional food security and poverty alleviation. This makes the utilization of wild foods incredibly important for native populations both in terms of food security and economics. There are many traditional methods for wild fruit harvesting, indigenous tree and plant domestication and cultivation passed down through generations that are sustainable and economically viable, ultimately contributing to a better quality of life for large sections of the developing world. To date there has not been a reference work focusing on the full scope of wild fruits from their growth and chemical makeup to their harvest, distribution, health effects and beyond. Wild Fruits: Composition, Nutritional Value and Products adequately fills this gap, expansively covering the utilization of multi-purpose wild fruits in regions worldwide. Effects on quality of life, food security, economics and health are extensively covered. Over 31 wild fruit species are examined, with individual chapters focusing on each species' phytochemical constituents, bioactive compounds, traditional and medicinal uses and chemical composition. Harvest, post-harvest and consumption methods are covered for each, as are their overall effect on the food security and economics of their native regions. This book is essential for researchers in search of a comprehensive singular source for the chemical makeups and cultivation of indigenous wild fruits and their many benefits to their native regions.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the wild relatives of crops and cultivated species found in India, covering their distribution, phylogenetic relationships with cultivated species, traits that are of economic and breeding value, and the perceived threats. It highlights the opportunities the wild relatives of cultivated species offer in terms of new genes and allelic variability, as well as several other exploitable economic and environmental benefits that can be harnessed with their conservation and cultivation. This helps facilitate their use – both directly and as part of the breeding program for related cultivated species, filling the gaps of genetic variability in the primary gene pool. It also discusses how they can be used in breeding programs using conventional technologies and the biotechnological approaches of recombinant DNA. Transfer of natural genes using recombinant DNA, known as “Cisgenesis,” can accelerate the process of incorporating these natural genes without genetic drag of undesirable features and biosafety concerns, and beyond taxonomic boundaries, in response to the demand for new cultivars to meet the challenges of climate change and ever-growing human population.