Review reveals twenty-eight underutilized high-protein crops, suggesting multi-pathway supply chain and policy interventions can resolve persistent nutritional deficits.
Key Points
To evaluate the nutritional, agronomic, and market potential of underutilized high-protein plant species and establish a multi-pathway framework for integrating them into mainstream food systems.
Conducted a targeted literature search to identify plant species possessing at least 15% protein content.
Assessed 28 identified crops across agronomic performance, nutritional composition, traditional culinary documentation, and commercial market visibility.
Identified 28 underutilized species across legumes, leafy greens, and edible seeds or pods, finding that most remain confined to localized traditions or experimental trials.
Identified major systemic barriers limiting widespread adoption, including weak seed distribution systems, ambiguous regulatory frameworks, and insufficient data on protein digestibility.
Established strategic intervention priorities focusing on amino-acid profiling, sensory and processing optimization, ingredient supply chain expansion, and inclusion in public nutrition programs.