Title: Underu􀆟 lized food and alimentary technology, a synergic interacion as an approach to a hunger free world

Biography:

Virginia E Melo Ruiz is professor at Autonomous Metropolitan University, Mexico City, Mexico. Her research is focused in underu􀆟 lized food andtechniques for preserva􀆟 on and produc􀆟 on of products from natural sources such as edible insects and plants to reduce alimentary defi ciency and to improve health of people in rural and urban areas. She has about 40 years of experience in the fi eld and has published several papers in the topic.

Abstract

Hunger, whose origin is not due to just one reason, may
be consider the major health problem in the whole
world where the high increase in popula􀆟 on is one of the
most important reasons of this problem. As a consequence,
many studies have been described regarding alimentary
techniques to increase food availability, and lots of eff orts
have been made to search underu􀆟 lized food from natural
sources (animals and plants). However, there is s􀆟 ll a gap
between the research for new food sources and alimentary
techniques that must complement each other to obtain
the benefi ts needed. An example of this is Escamoles
(seasonal ant eggs) whose were only consumed by people
from rural communi􀆟 es, but due to their high nutri􀆟 onal
value, they were promoted as a good source of nutrients.
The main problem was that Escamoles were available only
for a few months every year (spring season) and for such, it
was necessary to apply produc􀆟 on techniques to increase the amount of Escamoles, then it was necessary to apply
diff erent preserva􀆟 on techniques such as refrigera􀆟 on
or freezing depending on the period of 􀆟 me es􀆟 mated
for their consump􀆟 on. In addi􀆟 on, adequate prepara􀆟 on
techniques were applied in order to keep nutri􀆟 onal
value and sensory characteris􀆟 cs that are essen􀆟 al to be
accepted by consumers. It is worth men􀆟 oning that every
procedure employed did not caused important changes
in nutri􀆟 onal value but increased their shelf life, so this
important source of nutrients can be available all year and
help to improve people´s access to valuable sources of
nutrients that could not be possible without appropriate
produc􀆟 on and preserva􀆟 on techniques. In conclusion,
studies of underu􀆟 lized natural sources of food should be
support by alimentary techniques to provide enough food
and so to approach to a world free of hunger.