Traditional Beverages Derived from Wild Food Plant Species in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province in South Africa

Abstract

Beverages derived from wild plant species play an important role in local and traditional food systems in rural communities such as in the Vhembe District, South Africa. Conducting research on such foodstuffs may help to prevent loss of indigenous knowledge on potential dietary sources for needy households. Through surveys and focussed group discussions, 41 different beverage-making plant species were identified. Traditional beverage making processes are of three types. Preparing teas involve a boiling process while juices are manually extracted following overnight soaking of the fruit pulp mixture. Brewing traditional beer usually requires a spontaneous fermentation process lasting 2-3 days.

Improvement of traditional processing of local monkey orange (Strychnos spp.) fruits to enhance nutrition security in Zimbabwe

“…Respondents indicated the storage treatment and estimated the storage time of the fruit based on their experience. They indicated that picking of mature unripe fruits for storage in burial places also reduces competition from other fruit collectors, especially of a wellknown, sweet tasting variety, which is in line with findings of Motlhanka et al (2008) and Rampedi and Olivier (2013). Unripe mature fruits can be stored in this manner for more than two months (according to 18% of the respondents).…”

“…Data collection for fruits of the same species may be imprecise (Termote et al 2010). BUnder-differentiation^of a species is encountered when a single vernacular name can be used for species of morphological similarity, or Bover-differentiation^when several names are used for one species (Rampedi and Olivier 2013). Thus, to gather reliable and reproducible information, the species were grouped into two major groups: group A (comprising S. cocculoides and S. spinosa) and group B (S. innocua and S. madagascariensis).…”

Local processing and nutritional composition of indigenous fruits: The case of monkey orange (Strychnos spp.) from Southern Africa

“…When fully developed though unripe fruits are harvested, they are subsequently buried under a thin layer of sand for several months until ripe (or until they liquefy) to protect them from other fruit hunters and animals (2,11,24,51) and to prevent postharvest losses (Fig. 1).…”

“…Reduction of post-harvest losses and increase in shelf life have become urgent needs to promote better use of monkey oranges. To prolong shelf life and maintain quality, the fruit is sometimes domestically processed to jams, juices, wine, beer, fritters, muffins or dried fruit leathers, (9)(10)(11)(12)(13) but still most of the product is lost if not consumed fresh.…”

Value addition of Southern African monkey orange(Strychnos spp.) : composition, utilization and quality

“…Reduction of post-harvest losses and increase in shelf life have become an urgent need to promote better use of monkey oranges. To prolong shelf life and maintain quality, the fruit is sometimes domestically processed to jams, juices, wine, beer, fritters, muffins or dried fruit leathers McGregor, 1995;Orwa et al, 2009;Rampedi & Olivier, 2013;Zinyama et al, 1990), but still most of the product is lost if not consumed fresh.…”