From ‘Farm to Fork’: Exploring the Potential of Nutrient-Rich and Stress-Resilient Emergent Crops for Sustainable and Healthy Food in the Mediterranean Region in the Face of Climate Change Challenges
Javier Matías,
María José Rodríguez,
Antonio Carrillo-Vico,
Joan Casals,
Sara Fondevilla,
Claudia Mónika Haros,
Justo Pedroche,
Nieves Aparicio,
Nieves Fernández-García,
Ingrid Aguiló-Aguayo,
Cristina Soler-Rivas,
Pedro A. Caballero,
Asunción Morte,
Daniel Rico,
María Reguera
Affiliations
Javier Matías
Agrarian Research Institute “La Orden-Valdesequera” of Extremadura (CICYTEX), 06187 Guadajira (Badajoz), Spain
María José Rodríguez
Technological Institute of Food and Agriculture of Extremadura (INTAEX-CICYTEX), Avda. Adolfo Suárez s/n, 06007 Badajoz, Spain
Antonio Carrillo-Vico
Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
Joan Casals
Fundació Miquel Agustí/HorPTA, Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)-BarcelonaTech, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain
Sara Fondevilla
Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
Claudia Mónika Haros
Cereal Group, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Av. Agustín Escardino 7, Parque Científico, 46980 Valencia, Spain
Justo Pedroche
Group of Plant Proteins, Instituto de la Grasa, CSIC. Ctra. de Utrera Km. 1, 41013 Seville, Spain
Nieves Aparicio
Agro-Technological Institute of Castilla y León (ITACyL), Ctra. Burgos Km. 119, 47071 Valladolid, Spain
Nieves Fernández-García
Department of Abiotic Stress and Plant Pathology, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CSIC), Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Ingrid Aguiló-Aguayo
Postharvest Programme, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Agrobiotech Lleida, Parc de Gardeny, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003 Lleida, Spain
Cristina Soler-Rivas
Departamento de Producción y Caracterización de Nuevos Alimentos, Institute of Food Science Research-CIAL (UAM+CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Nicolas Cabrera 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Pedro A. Caballero
Food Technology, Department of Agriculture and Forestry Engineering, Universidad de Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain
Asunción Morte
Departamento Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Biología, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Daniel Rico
Department of Medicine, Dermatology and Toxicology, Universidad de Valladolid, Av. Ramón y Cajal, 7, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
María Reguera
Departamento de Biología, Campus de Cantoblanco, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Darwin 2, 28049 Madrid, Spain
In the dynamic landscape of agriculture and food science, incorporating emergent crops appears as a pioneering solution for diversifying agriculture, unlocking possibilities for sustainable cultivation and nutritional bolstering food security, and creating economic prospects amid evolving environmental and market conditions with positive impacts on human health. This review explores the potential of utilizing emergent crops in Mediterranean environments under current climate scenarios, emphasizing the manifold benefits of agricultural and food system diversification and assessing the impact of environmental factors on their quality and consumer health. Through a deep exploration of the resilience, nutritional value, and health impacts of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) such as quinoa, amaranth, chia, moringa, buckwheat, millet, teff, hemp, or desert truffles, their capacity to thrive in the changing Mediterranean climate is highlighted, offering novel opportunities for agriculture and functional food development. By analysing how promoting agricultural diversification can enhance food system adaptability to evolving environmental conditions, fostering sustainability and resilience, we discuss recent findings that underscore the main benefits and limitations of these crops from agricultural, food science, and health perspectives, all crucial for responsible and sustainable adoption. Thus, by using a sustainable and holistic approach, this revision analyses how the integration of NUS crops into Mediterranean agrifood systems can enhance agriculture resilience and food quality addressing environmental, nutritional, biomedical, economic, and cultural dimensions, thereby mitigating the risks associated with monoculture practices and bolstering local economies and livelihoods under new climate scenarios.
