In Kenya, local landraces of Bambara nut were found to be on average lower in fat and sodium and higher in fibre than commonly consumed groundnut, with almost double the potassium content.

Local landraces of finger millet were found to be on average higher in calcium and magnesium, and to contain on average 6 times more iron and twice as much fibre than commonly consumed maize.

Perhaps the most significant discovery was the difference in nutritional value between different varietals of finger millet and Bambara nut. Within the same species, four varietals were analysed to evaluate their nutrient composition, and certain varietals stood out due to their significantly higher nutrient values. For example, one of the four varieties of Bambara nut Vigna subterranea KARI/BN/21, is higher in iron, magnesium, potassium and fat per 100g, while Vigna subterranea KARI/BN/13 and Vigna subterranea KARI/BN/4 is higher in protein and fibre per 100g.

One of the four varieties of Bambara nut, Vigna subterranea KARI/BN/21, was found to be higher in iron, magnesium, potassium and fat per 100g, while Vigna subterranea KARI/BN/13 and Vigna subterranea KARI/BN/4 are higher in protein and fibre per 100g.

In Sri Lanka, data collected on household diet diversity scores (HDDS) determined using in-person 24-hour diet recalls in Gampola and Udakumbura revealed that 50% of the households interviewed had economic access to a variety of food groups, and that traditional vegetables, legumes and fruits were included in diets, but preferences varied by region.

Fruits and fish were the least consumed food groups, and recommendations were made for promoting these foods in future public health interventions.

Research teams from Wayamba, Peradeniya and Ruhuna University gathered complementary data about Potentially Important Regional (PIR) foods that are both high in micronutrients and were locally preferred across pilot sites. These included gotukola (Centella asiatica), pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata) and eggplant (Solanum melongena). Regional differences in PIR food preference were reported, with ridge gourd, mango and papaya popular in the Gampola site, but not in the Udakumbura and Sinharaja sites.

In Turkey, food composition and antioxidant activity analyses were completed for 40 prioritized species of wild edibles collected in the Aegean, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Regions. Preliminary data analysis illustrates that cracked einkorn wheat (bulgur) from local landraces contains on average 5 times more zinc, 4 times more iron and more calcium than commonly consumed wheat. DPPH antioxidant assays were also carried out on selected prioritized species to determine their natural antioxidant activity.

High antioxidant activity was determined in Elm-leaved sumach (Rhus coriaria 1825.26 mg sample/g dpph-1) and in Berberis (Berberis crataegina, 1380.63 mg sample/g dpph-1), with values similar to the manmade antioxidant Butylated Hydroxytolune (BHT, 2101.23 mg sample/g dpph-1).

Low antioxidant activity was determined in species used for their roots such as Gypsophila arrostii (3.96 mg sample/g dpph-1), Ferula elaeochytris (5.46 mg sample/g dpph-1) and species such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata 17.89 mg sample/g dpph-1) and einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum 1.56 mg sample/g dpph-1).

In Brazil, MSc students and researchers from the Federal Universities of Ceará  Goiás, São Paulo, the Federal University of Pará,  and Rio Grande do Sul  have compiled national food composition data using the FAO-INFOODS methodology through the systematic and quantitative review of secondary data sources, particularly MSc and PhD thesis and other grey literature. Food composition tables from Brazil, USDA, and the Canadian Nutrient File were also explored for data on prioritized species.
In the first MSc thesis to emerge from the BFN project, nutrition data for 21 prioritized species was compiled and compared with the most commonly consumed fruits in Brazil (according to the most recent Household Survey – POF 2008-2009): banana, orange, apple, papaya and watermelon. Results highlighted the higher contents of dietary fibre, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin E contained in native fruits (for those fruits for which data was available).

The vitamin C content in 100g of the pulp of four native fruits – pequí (43.2mg), mangaba (163.3mg), cagaita (48.6mg), and aracá (38.8mg) - are at least 6 times the amount contained in 100g of common varieties of banana (5.9mg), watermelon (6.1mg), and apple (1.5mg).

A BFN partnership was established with the Horticultural Division of the Brazilian Corporation of Agricultural Research (EMBRAPA Hortaliças) for the inclusion of traditional vegetables in the “Plants for the Future” initiative. This initiative leads many important agricultural programmes that aid in:  i) the identification of native Brazilian flora that are used both locally and regionally but currently do not fulfil their economic potential, ii) the promotion of the direct use of these plants by farmers and agricultural producers, and iii) the creation of an enabling environment for increased investment opportunities and business creation to drive the development of new marketable local products. So far, EMBRAPA have played a key partnering role in the implementation of BFN activities and the continuous growth of the nutritional database. Information on six native vegetables was included in the Plants for the Future publication for the Midwestern region. Furthermore, food composition analysis of 20 leafy species (six of which are native to Brazil) is currently being carried out by EMBRAPA.