Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis): Nutritional, Technological, and Sustainability Perspectives for Functional Food Development
- Beschreibung
Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a traditional tropical staple known for its high carbohydrate content, moderate protein, essential micronutrients, and adaptability to marginal environments. As a perennial, climate-resilient crop, it offers significant potential to enhance food security, dietary diversity, and agroforestry sustainability in tropical regions. Breadfruit flour and other derived products are gaining attention as alternative ingredients for functional and gluten-free foods, aligning with global shifts toward sustainable and diversified food systems.
Despite this potential, scientific research on breadfruit remains fragmented and underdeveloped compared to other tropical staples such as cassava or sweet potato. Most studies focus on agronomic aspects, basic nutritional composition, or traditional uses, while systematic investigations on postharvest handling, modern processing technologies, and functional properties are limited. Key gaps include the lack of optimized drying and storage methods, limited data on resistant starch formation and bioactive retention during processing, scarce evidence on nutrient bioavailability and health impacts, and minimal techno-economic or consumer studies for product diversification. Furthermore, sustainability and value-chain analyses are still rare, hindering large-scale integration.
This review synthesizes current knowledge on breadfruit’s nutritional profile, processing methods, and product development while highlighting critical research gaps. The aim is to provide a framework for future interdisciplinary studies that link food technology, nutrition, and sustainable supply chains to unlock breadfruit’s full potential as a climate-smart and functional food resource.
This review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the current state of knowledge on breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis), focusing on its nutritional and functional properties, postharvest handling, processing technologies, product development, and sustainability aspects. The scope covers peer-reviewed literature, reports, and relevant case studies, emphasizing recent advancements and identifying critical gaps that limit the broader utilization of breadfruit in modern food systems. By integrating insights from agronomy, food technology, nutrition, and socio-economic perspectives, this review seeks to outline future research directions and practical opportunities for the sustainable development of breadfruit-based food products.
- Beschreibung des interdisziplinären Teils des Projekts
- In this project, the disciplines of agricultural science, agricultural engineering, food technology, nutritional science, food material science, and food chemistry are combined
- Projektzeitraum
- Wintersemester 2025/2026
- Bewerbungszeitraum
- 13. bis 27.10.2025
- Durchführung
- semesterbegleitend
- Details zu Projektzeitraum und Durchführung
The project can be carried out during the semester or during the lecture-free period by arrangement.
Depending on the number of participants, individual topics can be worked on separately and then combined in teamwork.
The details of the project can be discussed further to focus on the interests of the Humboldt Reloaded Project participants
- Studienfach
- offen für alle Studienfächer
- Betreuende
- Fetriyuna Fetriyuna
- Institut
- Institut für Agrartechnik (440) (Food Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Food Science and Nutrition)
- Sprache
- englisch
- Teilnehmendenanzahl
- min. 1, max. 3
- Arbeitsaufwand
-
ca. 120 Stunden pro Teilnehmende:r
| 4
ECTS-Punkte
Arbeitsaufwand (Stunden und ggf. ECTS) sind ungefähre Angaben. Die tatsächlich vergebenen ECTS-Punkte ergeben sich aus der tatsächlich geleisteten Arbeit.
- Für dieses Projekt ist kein Motivationsschreiben des Studierenden erforderlich
- Projektart
- theoretisch/nicht experimentell
- Lernziele
-
Die Teilnehmende lernen in diesem Projekt:
Joining this literature review helps students build research skills (systematic searching, critical analysis, data extraction), technical abilities (working with drying parameters, nutrient retention, and basic meta-analysis), and professional experience (teamwork, scientific writing, and presenting findings). It deepens their understanding of food processing and prepares them for future research, internships, or careers in food technology and agro-industry.
- Anmerkungen für Studierende
The scope of work can be adjusted before the project starts, according to the number of participants and depending on preferences and data generated from the scientific database
- Schlagworte
- breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis, nutritional composition, Resistant starch, Functional properties, Postharvest handling, Drying technologies, Gluten-free products, food formulation, Agroforestry, Climate resilience, Value chain