HUMAN FOOD POTENTIAL OF THE SEEDS OF SOME AUSTRALIAN DRY-ZONE ACACIA SPECIES

The seeds of about 50 Australian dry-zone Acacia species are a traditional food of Australian Aboriginal people. Three species, Acacia colei (formerly included under Acacia holosericea), A. cowleana and A. tumida have grown rapidly in trials in semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. In the 450-700 mm annual rainfall zone of the Sahel, wide-spaced plants can produce heavy annual seed crops, whereas plants at the spacing of 4 ×4m commonly used in the region experience moisture stress once they reach heights of 3-4 m and do not set seed. Nutritional and toxicological analysis of the seeds shows them to be quite high in protein, fat and carbohydrate, and to have low levels of known toxic and anti-nutritional factors. Trials conducted at Maradi, Niger have shown that seed of A. colei is easily processed using local technology and can be used to prepare palatable foods. Priorities for future research include feeding trials with laboratory animals, medically monitored dietary trials with human volunteers, and field experiments to determine appropriate silvicultural strategies for maximum seed yields. © CSIRO.