@article{article_376808, title={Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition: Edible Wild Plant Species of Aegean Region of Turkey}, journal={ANADOLU Journal of Aegean Agricultural Research Institute}, volume={27}, pages={1–8}, year={2017}, author={Tan, Ayfer and Adanacıoglu, Nese and Karabak, Sevinc and Aykas, Lerzan and Tas, Necla and Taylan, Tefik}, keywords={Wild edible plants,Aegean Region,socio-economic studies,traditional knowledge,ethno-botanical study}, abstract={<p> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">In </span> </i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us"> </span> <i> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">Turkey wild edible plants have been used in dietary
as a source of food from prehistoric times onwards. The wild plants are common
in Turkish cuisine and they are eaten raw, consumed after cooking, dried before
use, consumed after processing. However they have different uses in different
areas of the country. Wild edible plants have been widely consumed in Aegean
region where the traditional foods are still cooked and even served at the
local restaurants.   The study was
developed on the edible wild plants in Aegean Region of Turkey as a
multi-disciplinary approach to gather data on the traditional uses of wild
edibles; to improve the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity for
food and nutrition, as well as to build support for biodiversity conservation
and enhanced well-being by providing evidence and raising awareness of the
nutritional value of this diversity and its importance in food-based approaches
to tackle unhealthy dietary. Eleven species of wild edible plants of Aegean
Region have been prioritized in this study. Surveys were conducted in Izmir,
Aydın, Muğla and Balıkesir to determine the baseline status of community
biodiversity for food and nutrition, dietary diversity and traditional
knowledge. The previous studies conducted on edible plants were the baseline of
the survey. The ethno-botanic and socio-economic surveys were conducted at the
selected ecological sites in the villages, local markets, local restaurants as
well as supermarkets. The socio-economic studies were conducted for detail data
with monographic technic. Surveys were carried out to generate the idea on
marketing opportunity, to assist to obtain the information for the development
of policy to upload the relevant information about the traditional knowledge.
During surveys ethno-botanical information and the different type of dishes of
wild edible plants were recorded. The data recorded from face to face
questioners with 541 collector and 584 consumers for the conclusion of process
from harvest to consumption.  In the
Aegean region, the majority of consumers stated that they consumed wild species
1-2 times a week. The collected amount varies according to the type of market.
Some species are usually collected for commercial purposes. Samples were also
collected for taxonomic identification and for further study on nutritional
value priority species. Awareness activities have been conducted, leaflets,
brochures were prepared and disseminated. Over 100 species of wild edible
plants and over have been recorded from the study region. </span> <span lang="en-us" style="font-size:9pt;font-family:’Times New Roman’, serif;" xml:lang="en-us">  </span> </i> <br /> </p>}, number={2}, publisher={Aegean Agricultural Research Institute}