Jamila Elbiyad

Background: The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is an emblematic and ecologically significant woody species of the Mediterranean basin that has attracted increasing scientific and industrial interest, owing to the considerable nutritional value and versatile functional properties of its fruit. Aims: The present study aimed to evaluate and comparatively characterize the nutritional and functional attributes of wild and cultivated carob varieties sourced from Morocco. Material and Methods: Carob Pulp Samples were collected from two geographically distinct sites within the Guelmim-Oued Noun region of southern Morocco. The following analytical parameters were assessed: physicochemical properties (ash, moisture, total sugars, and crude protein content), mineral composition (macro- and microelements), bioactive compound content comprising total polyphenols, flavonoids, and condensed tannins, and antioxidant activity, evaluated employing three complementary assays—the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and the β-carotene antioxidant activity test (CAT assay). Results: Cultivated carob pulp exhibited significantly higher (p < 0.05) total sugar content (65.85 ± 0.07 vs. 58.40 ± 0.26%), crude protein content (3.47 ± 0.22 vs. 2.35 ± 0.29%), potassium concentration (9351.0 ± 4.4 vs. 6812.0 ± 3.8 mg/kg), and calcium concentration (2564.0 ± 1.2 vs. 1339.0 ± 2.0 mg/kg) relative to wild carob pulp. Conversely, wild carob pulp displayed significantly lower IC₅₀ values (p < 0.05) across all three antioxidant assays — DPPH (127.09 ± 0.41 vs. 162.17 ± 0.06 μg/mL), FRAP (9.08 ± 0.18 vs. 12.61 ± 0.33 μg/mL), and CAT (62.19 ± 0.56 vs. 78.94 ± 0.80 μg/mL) assays, indicating superior radical scavenging and reducing capacity relative to the cultivated variety. Conclusions: The findings reveal complementary and distinct nutritional and functional characteristics between wild and cultivated Moroccan carob pulp, with both botanical forms representing valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds for food and nutraceutical applications. The cultivated form demonstrated a superior macronutrient and mineral profile, whilst the wild form exhibited greater antioxidant potency, suggesting differential valorization potential according to intended application. Further systematic characterization of individual phytochemical constituents is recommended to deepen understanding of their functional properties and support their potential applications in functional food product development and sustainable agroforestry systems. Keywords: Ceratonia siliqua L.; Antioxidant Activity; Phenolic Compounds; Phytochemicals; Carob pulp; Morocco.

Background: Food waste in Moroccan rural markets represents a major challenge, resulting in losses not only in quantity but also in dietary and nutritional diversity. This study extends the analyses of a previous one that quantified these losses (Elbiyad et al., 2024), applying the Food Variety Score (FVS) to capture the diversity dimension of food waste and examine its potential implications for sustainable development and the circular economy. Objective: This study aimed to assess the diversity of food and nutrients wasted in Moroccan rural markets using the Food Variety Score, and to estimate the associated nutritional, environmental, and economic implications. Material and methods: A survey was conducted between February 2022 and March 2023 with 600 retailers in five rural markets located in the provinces of El Jadida and Sidi Bennour. At the retail level, food waste was defined as unsold items remaining at the end of the market day and considered discarded. Wasted food was identified and classified by food group and variety. Nutrient losses were estimated using Bilnut software and Ciqual food composition data, based solely on edible portions. The Food Variety Score was calculated at three levels: food group, food variety, and nutrient. Environmental impacts were estimated using coefficients published by the FAO and by Poore and Nemecek, while reduction scenarios were explored through hypothetical simulations. Results: A total of 123 varieties of wasted food were identified and classified into six groups. Vegetables (45.7%) and fruits (27.4%) accounted for the largest share of total food waste. The Food Variety Score (FVS) reached 100% at both the group and variety levels, indicating that all identified groups and varieties were represented in the waste. Nutritionally, all nutrients studied exceeded the binary threshold used for the analysis, reflecting the diversity of nutrients present in the waste. Although the obtained values represent aggregate losses, the estimated nutrient losses were substantial but should not be interpreted as direct equivalents of individual daily intakes. The simulated reduction scenarios suggest potential environmental and economic benefits, although these projections have not been empirically tested. Conclusion: Food waste in Moroccan rural markets is characterized by significant quantities and a wide diversity of food groups, varieties, and nutrients. Measuring the Food Variety Score provides a dimension of diversity in wasted food resources that complements conventional quantitative assessments. These results should be interpreted with caution, particularly regarding their nutritional and policy implications. Reducing food waste contributes to sustainable development and resource valorization, but requires the implementation of feasible and context-appropriate interventions. Keywords: food waste; Food Variety Score; nutritional losses; circular economy; sustainable development; rural markets; Morocco

Despite the widespread use of wild edible medicinal plants (WEMPs) in Morocco, information on their nutritional value, bioactive composition, and safety aspects is limited. Thus, the present study was aimed at evaluating the nutritional value (proximate and mineral contents), phytochemical properties, and acute toxicity of Dysphania ambrosioides , Ziziphus lotus , and Origanum vulgare collected from central Morocco. Nutritional composition was determined using standard food analysis methods, while total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified colorimetrically. Antioxidant activities were assessed by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The acute safety profile of the plant extracts was evaluated through acute toxicity testing in rats. Results revealed that the studied WEMPs contained valuable nutrients in the respective ranges of moisture (6.25%–10.23%), ash (4.81%–14.85%), protein (6.98%–20.43%), fat (2.26%–2.88%), carbohydrates (63.75%–85.33%), and energy (345.45–395.16 kcal·100 g ⁻¹ ). They were also rich in essential minerals, particularly magnesium (46.76–95.77 mg·100 g ⁻¹ ), iron (1.73–4.31 mg·100 g ⁻¹ ), and manganese (1.65–2.02 mg·100 g ⁻¹ ). The total phenolic and flavonoid contents ranged from 64.45 to 207.30 mg GAE·g ⁻¹ extract and from 18.84 to 117.18 mg QE·g ⁻¹ extract, respectively. Antioxidant assays showed strong correlations with phenolic and flavonoid contents. Acute toxicity results indicated that all extracts were well tolerated, with LD50 values higher than 5000 mg·kg ⁻¹ body weight, suggesting the absence of acute toxicity under the experimental conditions. Overall, the findings demonstrate that these WEMPs represent valuable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential and could serve as natural dietary antioxidants to help mitigate oxidative stress.

Background: Despite its benefits, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is abandoned or not adopted by the younger generations in most Mediterranean countries. Objective: The aim here was to examine some factors determining adherence to MD in Moroccan school-age adolescents. Material and methods: A...

Background: Wild edible plants (WEPs) that are part of the Mediterranean diet and used in Moroccan traditional food and therapy are now less or not used. This requires their valorization to avoid the threat of their disappearance. The objective of this work was therefore to determine the mineral content in the parts of some WEPs species used for their health benefits in the Rif in Morocco.Material and Methods: The parts of the WEPs species used, the leaves of Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) masters, the aerial parts of Lavandula stoechas L., the stems of Rubia peregrina L., the seeds of Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. & Dur., known under the local names of Laaraar, Halhal, Foua, and Kamoun soufi respectively, are washed with distilled water, dried in an oven and crushed. The extracts of the powders obtained are analyzed for the quantification of mineral elements by ICP spectrophotometer.Results: The analysis results of ICP-OES show that the aerial parts of Lavandula stoechas L. are rich in K, Mg, Fe, Na, and Zn. The stems of Rubia peregrina L. are rich in Fe, Na, Mg, Zn, K, Ca, and Mn. The leaves of Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) masters are rich in Fe, Ca, K, Na, Mn and Mg and the seeds of Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. & Dur. are rich in K, Ca, Mg, Na.Conclusion: The results reported in the samples of the WEPs analyzed present significant contents in minerals, in particular in K, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn and Mn and show that in addition to their medicinal values these species have a nutritional potential and could contribute to the dietary balance.

Background: Despite the extensive literature focusing on identifying novel antimicrobials of plant origin, little work has been undertaken to examine the antimicrobial activity of wild edible plants.Objective: The current research aimed to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activity of methanolic extract of some common wild edible plants.Material and Methods: Disc diffusion and broth micro dilution methods were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of extracts of Mercurialis annua, Ziziphys lotus, Rubia peregrina, Origanum vulgare, Papaver rhoeas, Foeniculum vulgare, and Dysphania ambrosioides against known human microorganisms’ pathogens.Results: The result indicated that most of the extracts exhibited a range of in vitro growth inhibitory action against all bacterial strains and yeasts tested with inhibition zones ranging from 11 mm to 32 mm, MIC value ranging from 0.048 to 50 mg/ml and MBC and MFC values ranging from 0.048 to 100 mg/ml. Among the seven plant extracts tested, O. vulgare was the most effective showing high antimicrobial activity against all tested microbial strains. All plant extracts exhibited bactericidal activities against all the tested bacteria strains except for those of R. peregrina, P. rhoeas and F. vulgare which showed a bacteriostatic activity against E. coli and Pseudomonas sp. Antifungal activity was shown only by O. vulgare, F. vulgare and D. ambrosioides against both C. albicans and C. neoformans.Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of wild edible plants to control human pathogenic microbes and demonstrate that these plants could be used as starting points for the development of novel antimicrobial compounds.

Background: Food waste, a significant issue in sustainable food systems, occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, from production to consumption. However, there is limited data assessing the quantity and nutritional value of food waste at the retail level, especially in rural markets (Souks). Aims: This research aimed to characterize and quantify the nutritional value of food waste in rural retail markets of El Jadida and Sidi Bennour in Morocco. Material and Methods: A quantitative approach was employed, combining observational diagnosis of food waste types and a survey of sellers to collect information, through a questionnaire, on purchased and remaining quantities, as well as the nature and disposal of food waste. The nutritional value of wasted food was estimated using the Ciqual food composition table and the bilnut calculation program. Results: The estimated quantity of unsold food in the studied retail markets studied was 1135.36 tons/year, equivalent to 0.85 kg/inhabitant/year for the region’s population. Vegetables accounted for the largest proportion of unsold food (45.7%), followed by fruits (27.4%), and meat and offal (10.8%). The estimated quantity of food waste was 677.3 tons/year or 0.5 kg/inhabitant/year. The daily nutritional value of wasted food in the studied Souks was estimated to be 118.173 kcal, 7.616 g of carbohydrates, 6.026 g of proteins and 6.386 g of total fats, 1.579 g of dietary fiber, 334 mg of vitamin A, 1.6 mg of vitamin D, 945.9 mg of iron, 21.712 mg of calcium, 1.903 mg of potassium, and 4.56 mg of iodine. These nutrient contents could potentially contribute to the daily needs of a significant portion of the population, particularly for iron, as the estimated daily loss of 945.9 mg/day could meet the recommended daily intake of 59 adult women or 236 children under five years old. Conclusion: This study provides a novel comprehensive assessment of the nutritional value lost due to food waste in rural retail markets in El Jadida-Sidi Bennour. The findings reveal the need for improved supply chain management and demand forecasting to reduce food waste I these. Strengthening efforts to redistribute and reutilize wasted food can contribute to addressing nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity among vulnerable rural populations. Keywords: Food waste, retail trade, valorization, nutritional loss, rural markets.