{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,30]],"date-time":"2026-03-30T02:43:32Z","timestamp":1774838612983,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,10,14]],"date-time":"2019-10-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1571011200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PTDC\/AGR-PRO\/5727\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/AGR-PRO\/5727\/2014"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["SFRH\/BPD\/114664\/2016 to FM"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SFRH\/BPD\/114664\/2016 to FM"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/AGR\/04129\/2019 (LEAF)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/AGR\/04129\/2019 (LEAF)"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/BIA\/00329\/2019 (cE3c)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/BIA\/00329\/2019 (cE3c)"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Wild Edible Plants are common in the diet of rural communities of sub-Saharan Africa. In Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, wild plant resources are widely used in human diet, but very few studies have addressed them. The aim of this study is to reveal: (1) the wild and semi-cultivated leafy vegetables consumed in Guinea-Bissau; and (2) the nutritional composition of those plants traded at the largest country market in Bissau. Our results revealed that 24 native or naturalized species with edible leaves are currently consumed by Guinea-Bissau population. Five of them were found at the market: dried leaves of Adansonia digitata, Bombax costatum and Sesamum radiatum, and fresh leaves and shoots of Amaranthus hybridus and Hibiscus sabdariffa. The analysis of the nutritional properties revealed that leaves contain a significant amount of protein (10.1\u201321.0 g\/100 g, dry basis), high values of macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as of phenolic compounds (13.1\u201340.3 mg GAE\/g) and a considerable antioxidant capacity (DPPH 111.5\u2013681.9 mg Eq Trolox). Although price and availability vary among the leafy vegetables analyzed, these traditional foods appear to be a good dietary component that can contribute to food security in Guinea-Bissau and in other West African countries, as these species are widely distributed in this region.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods8100493","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,10,14]],"date-time":"2019-10-14T12:14:05Z","timestamp":1571055245000},"page":"493","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":27,"title":["Edible Leafy Vegetables from West Africa (Guinea-Bissau): Consumption, Trade and Food Potential"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1261-9076","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Catarino","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9373-6302","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria M.","family":"Romeiras","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Quintino","family":"Bancessi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa Agr\u00e1ria, C.P. 505 Bissau, Guinea-Bissau"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Duarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Diana","family":"Faria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1505-2140","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Filipa","family":"Monteiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0558-8715","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Margarida","family":"Mold\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,10,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Grubben, G.J.H., and Denton, O.A. (2004). Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables, PROTA Foundation."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1038\/522146a","article-title":"The rise of Africa\u2019s super vegetables","volume":"522","author":"Cernansky","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02588667","article-title":"Etudes biologiques et chimiques sur les v\u00e9g\u00e9taux alimentaires de l\u2019Afrique tropicale occidentale","volume":"10","author":"Busson","year":"1963","journal-title":"Qual. Plant. Mater. Veg."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Burkill, H.M. (1985\u20132004). The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Royal Botanical Gardens. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02864565","article-title":"Importance and seasonality of vegetable consumption and marketing in Burkina Faso","volume":"55","author":"Mertz","year":"2001","journal-title":"Econ. Bot."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shackleton, C.M., Pasquini, M.W., and Drescher, A.W. (2009). African Indigenous Vegetables in Urban Agriculture, Earthscan.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781849770019"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"338","DOI":"10.1505\/146554811798293836","article-title":"Improving livelihoods and nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa through the promotion of indigenous and exotic fruit production in smallholders agroforestry systems: A review","volume":"13","author":"Jamnadass","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. Forest. Rev."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Lecup, I. (2011). Community-Based Tree and Forest Product Enterprises: Market Analysis and Development, FAO."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1008084007189","article-title":"Mineral composition of non-conventional leafy vegetables","volume":"53","author":"Barminas","year":"1998","journal-title":"Plant. Foods Hum. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"499","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jfca.2010.05.002","article-title":"Nutritional value of leafy vegetables of sub-Saharan Africa and their potential contribution to human health: A review","volume":"23","author":"Uusiku","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Food Compos. Anal."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shackleton, C.M., Pasquini, M.W., and Drescher, A.W. (2009). Biodiversity of African Vegetables. African Indigenous Vegetables in Urban Agriculture, Earthscan.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781849770019"},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"35","article-title":"The edible cultivated and semi-cultivated leaves of West Africa","volume":"2","author":"Irvine","year":"1956","journal-title":"Qual. Plant. Mater. Veg."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"IFPRI (2018, April 10). Guinea-Bissau Nutrition Country Profile. Available online: http:\/\/www.globalnutritionreport.org\/files\/2017\/12\/gnr17-GuineaBissau.pdf."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1590\/0103-9016-2014-0369","article-title":"Cashew cultivation in Guinea-Bissau \u2013 risks and challenges of the success of a cash crop","volume":"72","author":"Catarino","year":"2015","journal-title":"Sci. Agric."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1016\/S0306-9192(03)00029-0","article-title":"African traditional leafy vegetables and the urban and peri-urban poor","volume":"28","author":"Gockowski","year":"2003","journal-title":"Food Policy"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1305","DOI":"10.1007\/s10113-015-0838-6","article-title":"Linking agricultural adaptation strategies, food security and vulnerability: Evidence from West Africa","volume":"16","author":"Douxchamps","year":"2016","journal-title":"Reg. Environ. Chang."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Catarino, L., Martins, E., Pinto-Basto, M.F., and Diniz, M.A. (2006). Plantas Vasculares e Bri\u00f3fitos da Guin\u00e9-Bissau, IICT\/IPAD."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"INE Guin\u00e9-Bissau (2018, April 10). Indicadores Chaves Em 2014. Available online: http:\/\/www.stat-guinebissau.com\/pais\/indicador_chave.htm."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3767\/000651908X608179","article-title":"An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of Guinea\u2013Bissau (West Africa)","volume":"53","author":"Catarino","year":"2008","journal-title":"Blumea"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2016.02.032","article-title":"Medicinal plants of Guinea-Bissau: Therapeutic applications, ethnic diversity and knowledge transfer","volume":"183","author":"Catarino","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"AOAC (1984). Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists Inc.. [14th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1389","DOI":"10.1093\/jaoac\/82.6.1389","article-title":"Kjeldahl Nitrogen analysis as a reference method for protein determination in dairy products","volume":"82","author":"Lynch","year":"1999","journal-title":"JAOAC Int."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3396","DOI":"10.1021\/jf9913458","article-title":"Antioxidant activity of dietary as determined by a modified ferric reducing\/antioxidant power assay","volume":"48","author":"Pulido","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Agric. Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"490","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2014.07.032","article-title":"Influence of grape pomace extract incorporation on chitosan films properties","volume":"113","author":"Ferreira","year":"2014","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1016\/S0023-6438(95)80008-5","article-title":"Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity","volume":"28","author":"Cuvelier","year":"1995","journal-title":"LWT Food Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"627","article-title":"Le dosage des compos\u00e9s ph\u00e9noliques totaux dans les vins rouges","volume":"52","year":"1970","journal-title":"Chim. Anal."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Robinson, R.K. (2014). Intermediate Moisture Foods. Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology, Academic Press. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"NIH. National Institutes of Health (2019, July 09). Nutrient Recommendations: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes, Elements, Available online: https:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/Health_Information\/Dietary_Reference_Intakes.aspx."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.1093\/ajcn\/54.1.152","article-title":"Competitive inhibition of iron absorption by manganese and zinc in humans","volume":"54","author":"Brune","year":"1991","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tolkien, Z., Stecher, L., Mander, A.P., Pereira, D.I., and Powell, J.J. (2015). Ferrous sulfate supplementation causes significant gastrointestinal side-effects in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0117383"},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"541","article-title":"Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in fresh and dry fruits and vegetables grown in Chile","volume":"13","author":"Lutz","year":"2015","journal-title":"CyTA J. Food"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"581","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2004.01.010","article-title":"Total antioxidant activity and phenolic content in selected vegetables","volume":"87","author":"Ismail","year":"2004","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2833","DOI":"10.5897\/AJB2007.000-2452","article-title":"Nutritional and chemical value of Amaranthus hybridus L. leaves from Afikpo, Nigeria","volume":"6","author":"Akubugwo","year":"2007","journal-title":"Afr. J. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1007\/s10681-014-1081-9","article-title":"Current knowledge on Amaranthus spp.: Research avenues for improved nutritional value and yield in leafy amaranths in sub-Saharan Africa","volume":"197","author":"Sogbohossou","year":"2014","journal-title":"Euphytica"},{"key":"ref_35","first-page":"44","article-title":"Roselle: A Functional Food with High Nutritional and Medicinal Values","volume":"1","author":"Islam","year":"2016","journal-title":"Fundam. Appl. Agric."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1116","DOI":"10.1002\/fsn3.502","article-title":"Nutritional variation in baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) fruit pulp and seeds based on Africa geographical regions","volume":"5","author":"Muthai","year":"2017","journal-title":"Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"125","article-title":"Nutritional and health importance of Hibiscus sabdariffa: A review and indication for research needs","volume":"6","author":"Singh","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Nutr. Health Food Eng."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2234","DOI":"10.1039\/C9FO00287A","article-title":"Exploring the chemical and bioactive properties of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyces from Guinea-Bissau (West Africa)","volume":"10","author":"Jabeur","year":"2019","journal-title":"Food Funct."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1006\/jfca.1999.0843","article-title":"Nutrient and chemical composition of 13 wild plant foods of Niger","volume":"13","author":"Cook","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Food Compos. Anal."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1080\/03670240214492","article-title":"Food consumption in rural Burkina Faso","volume":"41","author":"Lykke","year":"2002","journal-title":"Ecol. Food Nutr."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"38","article-title":"Polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids contents and mineral composition of Bombax costatum calyx: Their contribution to overall antioxidant","volume":"3","author":"Bi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2018.01.004","article-title":"Suitability of Amaranthus species for alleviating human dietary deficiencies","volume":"115","author":"Jimoh","year":"2018","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"908","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2011.08.010","article-title":"An updated review of Adansonia digitata: A commercially important African tree","volume":"77","author":"Kamatou","year":"2011","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1008010009170","article-title":"Analysis of nutritional components of eight famine foods of the Republic of Niger","volume":"52","author":"Sena","year":"1998","journal-title":"Plant. Foods Hum. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2016.07.015","article-title":"Antioxidative properties of 34 green leafy vegetables","volume":"26","author":"Gunathilake","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"644","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2005.02.003","article-title":"Mineral content of tropical fruits and unconventional foods of the Andes and the rain forest of Colombia","volume":"95","author":"Leterme","year":"2006","journal-title":"Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shackleton, C.M., Pasquini, M., and Drescher, A.W. (2010). Nutritional Contributions of Important African Indigenous Vegetables. African Indigenous Vegetables in Urban Agriculture, Earthscan.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781849770019"}],"container-title":["Foods"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-8158\/8\/10\/493\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:26:05Z","timestamp":1760189165000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2304-8158\/8\/10\/493"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,10,14]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,10]]}},"alternative-id":["foods8100493"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/foods8100493","relation":{},"ISSN":["2304-8158"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2304-8158","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,10,14]]}}}