Survey of unconventional food plants in Caraguatatuba-SP Flávia Cristina Ribeiro Santos, Karolina Marie Alix Benedictte Van Sebroe Doria

Abstract

Most people are not aware that non-conventional food plants (PANC) can be used as food. Because, in general, they are plants discarded by large commerce. This disuse is mainly due to the lack of information on its usefulness and preparation. There are many losses of wild plants that have high nutritional values, greater than domestic plants. Society's diet is reduced to just 110 species, that is, the majority are cultivated intensively and with great use of agrochemicals. PANC can also help many humble families to restructure themselves, through family farming that could cultivate native species, also guaranteeing the reproduction and conservation of this cultural heritage. The present work aimed to carry out a survey of non-conventional food plants in Caraguatatuba, North Coast of São Paulo, emphasizing the importance of this plant resource and providing basic information to support other research with this focus. 18 families with a wealth of 24 species with food potential.