Abstract

Relevance: According to the State of World Food and Nutrition Security, more than 820 million people remain hungry and 2 million are moderately or severely food insecure. The search for new raw materials rich in nutrients and present in Brazilian biodiversity is a new challenge, considering that in the current menu, only 30 species are food sources for 95% of the world’s population. It is expected that new advances in research and new cultivation technologies favor the agriculture of new species with potential use as food and input for the pharmaceutical industry. In this context, we consider that the Dioscorea genus with more than 150 native species, and with some species cultivated and used in food, can be better explored as new matrices rich in nutrients for consumption and as an input for the pharmaceutical industry. The cultivation of Dioscorea species, today is developed with outdated technologies and practiced by small farmers and consequently difficult to maintain production and a delicate harvest requiring new research and technologies to increase productivity and in post-harvest operations.

Objective: this review aims to provide data on native species of Dioscorea, as a possible ally in the search for efficiency in the agricultural sector, food safety and source of inputs for the pharmaceutical industry.

Methodology: it was based on data from scientific publications (2000 and 2020) collected in scientific databases using the keywords: Dioscoreaceae, Dioscorea; “igname”; “yam” and “cará”.

Result: Dioscorea species native to Brazil have chemical diversity, richness of nutrients and other metabolites, justifying their potential use in food and input for the pharmaceutical industry and other possible applications, as we have shown.

Conclusion: New research approaches and new technologies applied to the study of native species in Brazil can generate knowledge in fighting hunger and in the search for target molecules that can be commercially exploited, promoting innovation in all sectors and environmental preservation as well as sustainable use.

Keywords: Dioscorea; Chemical composition; Pharmacological activities; “Igname, “Cará”, “Yam”, Food