Knowledge Tree
wild food plants
Also known as: wild foods, wild gathered food plants, wild food plant, wild food botanicals
Facts (38)
Sources
Ethnobotanical and Food Composition Monographs of Selected ... ouci.dntb.gov.ua 10 facts
referenceF. Lentini and F. Venza documented wild food plants of popular use in Sicily in a 2007 study published in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine.
referenceHadjichambis AC et al. studied the consumption of wild and semi-domesticated food plants in seven circum-Mediterranean areas in a 2008 study.
referenceLeonti, Nebel, Rivera, and Heinrich (2006) conducted a comparative analysis of wild gathered food plants in the European Mediterranean region.
referenceTardío, Pascual, and Morales published research on wild food plants traditionally used in the province of Madrid in 2005.
referenceAndrea Pieroni conducted a study on gathered wild food plants in the upper valley of the Serchio river (Garfagnana), Central Italy, published in Economic Botany in 1999.
referenceGhirardini M et al. published a comparative study in 2007 in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine on wild food plant consumption across twenty-one local communities in Italy, emphasizing the importance of taste in consumption habits.
referenceTardío, Pascual, and Morales published a guide on traditional wild food plants and mushrooms in the Community of Madrid in 2002.
referenceŁuczaj, Fressel, and Perkovic (2013) documented the wild food plants used in the villages of the Lake Vrana Nature Park in Northern Dalmatia, Croatia.
referenceŁuczaj, Pieroni, Tardío, Pardo-de-Santayana, Soukand, Svanberg, and Kalle (2012) examined the use of wild food plants in 21st-century Europe, noting the disappearance of old traditions and the search for new cuisines involving wild edibles.
referenceAndrea Pieroni evaluated the cultural significance of wild food botanicals traditionally consumed in Northwestern Tuscany, Italy, published in the Journal of Ethnobiology in 2001.
Wild edible plants for food security, dietary diversity, and nutraceuticals frontiersin.org Nov 27, 2025 7 facts
referenceBortolotto et al. (2017) established a knowledge network to promote the use and valorization of wild food plants in the Pantanal and Cerrado regions of Brazil.
measurementApproximately 1 billion people consume wild foods daily, making wild foods a vital component of the global food basket.
claimScaling up local food systems, which include wild foods, remains a persistent challenge for achieving broader systemic transformation.
referenceLuczaj et al. (2012) reviewed the use of wild food plants in 21st-century Europe, focusing on the decline of old traditions and the emergence of new cuisines involving wild edibles, published in Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae.
claimWild foods are characterized by high biodiversity, local accessibility, cultural acquaintance, and low input requirements.
referenceTermote et al. (2014) assessed the potential of wild foods to reduce the cost of a nutritionally adequate diet, using the eastern Baringo District of Kenya as a case study.
claimThere is a revival of interest in the foraging, processing, and consumption of wild foods in health-conscious societies, driven by a desire to reconnect with nature and access safe, natural, and local foods.
Assessment of the nutritional value of a wild edible plant Scorzonera ... discovery.researcher.life Dec 1, 2025 4 facts
claimTraditional knowledge regarding the use of wild food plants is declining in many parts of the world, including Manang, due to the introduction of modern packaged food items.
claimWild food plants are typically considered more sustainable than commercial crops because they develop naturally without the use of pesticides or other fertilizers.
claimWild food plants grow naturally and serve as essential components of the human diet and the conventional food chain.
claimConsuming wild food plants requires caution and moderation, as some species can be hazardous or harmful if consumed in large quantities or without adequate preparation.
Ethnobotanical Study of Wild Edible Plants and Their Indigenous ... scirp.org 4 facts
referenceIn Eastern Showa, Ethiopia, wild food plants are collected by communities from woodlands, scrublands, rocky hillsides, degraded wood, grazing and browsing areas, and spiritually protected areas.
referenceZemede, A. and Mesfin, T. published 'Prospects for the Sustainable Use and Development of Wild Food Plants in Ethiopia' in Economic Botany in 2001.
referenceZemede, A. presented 'The Future of Wild Food Plants in Southern Ethiopia: Ecosystem Conservation Coupled with Enhancement of the Roles of Key Social Groups' at the Symposium on Underutilized Plants for Food Security in Ethiopia in Addis Ababa on January 31, 2009.
claimSedie Muja District is rich in wild food plants, which are consumed in normal times as well as during food shortages to prevent starvation and sustain life during prolonged drought and social unrest.
Unknown source 3 facts
The traditional use of wild edible plants in pastoral and agro ... link.springer.com Feb 23, 2023 3 facts
referenceThe study 'The future of wild food plants in southern Ethiopia: ecosystem conservation coupled with enhancement of the roles of key social groups' by Asfaw Z, published in Acta Hort in 2009, explores the intersection of ecosystem conservation and social roles in the management of wild food plants.
referenceScoones I, Melnyk M, and Pretty JN authored a literature review and annotated bibliography titled 'The hidden harvest: wild foods and agricultural systems' in 1992.
claimTraditional knowledge regarding the use of wild food plants has been preserved in the memory of ethnic groups as heritage and passed orally through generations.
An ethnobotanical study on wild edible plants in Taishan County ... frontiersin.org Jul 10, 2025 2 facts
referenceGhorbani et al. published the article 'A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China' in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine in 2012.
referenceBharucha and Pretty (2010) analyzed the roles and values of wild foods within agricultural systems in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.
Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Shabelle Zone, Eastern ... link.springer.com Feb 5, 2026 2 facts
referenceGomes LC, de Medeiros PM, and Prata AP published a theoretical approach to the non-random selection of wild food plants in Brazil in the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine in 2023.
referenceTabuti JR, Dhillion SS, and Lye KA studied the status of wild food plants in Bulamogi County, Uganda, published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition in 2004.
Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Goba District Southwest ... nature.com Jul 29, 2025 1 fact
referenceTeresa, B. et al. published 'Born to eat wild: An integrated conservation approach to secure wild food plants for food security and nutrition' in 2020.
Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in the mountainous ... link.springer.com Oct 4, 2024 1 fact
referenceA 2022 study published in Acta Botanica Hungarica surveyed wild food plants in Sirjan, Kerman, Iran.
Phylogenetic Perspectives and Ethnobotanical Insights on Wild ... pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Feb 1, 2025 1 fact
claimThe study titled 'Phylogenetic Perspectives and Ethnobotanical Insights on Wild...' investigates the phylogenetic and geographical distribution of wild food plants across 30 Mediterranean and North African (MENA) regions.