ABSTRACT

Theworld'shungeriswidespreadandgrowing.BillionsofpeoplesufferfromsevereundernutritioninAsian,African,andLatinAmericancountries,andfrommalnutritioninNorthAmerican andWesternEuropeancountries.Thereisnearlya20-yeargapinlifeexpectancybetweentherich andpoornations.Apartfromthecaloricneeds,thereisasevereshortageoffoodmaterials,such asfruitsandvegetables,tubers,rootcrops,andfruitnuts,whicharethemostimpori.antplant foods,supplyingpeoplewithmanyoftheirnutritiverequirements,includingminerals,vitamins, proteins,starches,fats,andsugars.Fruitsareparticularlyimportantbecausetheyprovidevitamin C,13-carotene,B-complexvitamins,minerals,dietaryfiber,andbulk,aswellasavarietyof flavors.Withincreasingrecognitionoftheirvalueinthehumandiet,fruitsaregainingcommercialimportance(1).