’Hidden hunger’ despite fruit and vegetable surplus

FruVaSe guava product at Nairobi Innovation Week in April 2022 Photo: private Preserved local fruits and vegetables can improve nutrition in East Africa In East Africa, up to 50 percent of cultivated fruits and vegetables cannot be used, partly because they spoil too quickly before or after harvest. At the same time, the population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger, which could be alleviated by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. The international research project -Fruits and Vegetables for all Seasons- (FruVaSe), led by the University of Göttingen, has investigated whether local and hitherto little-studied fruits and vegetables can be processed and preserved so that a greater proportion of the harvest is available as food. They are also identifying ways in which processing residues can be used. The project team is presenting the results and the products developed in the magazine Ernährung im Fokus , among other publications. Local fruit, for example guavas in Kenya, sometimes rots under the trees during the season, while guava juice is produced in the country from imported fruit. Here, one goal of the FruVaSe project was to produce durable and nutrient-rich products that can also contribute to a balanced diet out of season.