Recent Advancements in Exploring the Untapped Potential of Palmyra Sprouts for Food Industry Applications

Palmyra sprouts are an underutilized seasonal product of the Palmyra palm, and have long been valued for their nutritional and therapeutic benefits. It is a germinated seed grown underground that has recently gained scientific attention due to its nutrient-dense composition and bioactive compounds. This contributes low-glycaemic index and notable biological activities, making them promising functional food ingredients. Recent studies have focused on the exploration of Palmyra sprouts in developing functional foods, packaging materials, and the synthesis of nanoparticles. It has been incorporated in the form of extracts and flours in bakery, beverage, and nutraceutical formulations, which have demonstrated potential for improving nutritional quality and sensory acceptance of foods. Despite these advancements, industrial utilization remains limited due to challenges in seasonal availability, lack of standardized protocol, lack of scientific evidence on its toxicity, and ensuring safety and sustainability in large-scale production. Hence, this review provides the latest findings on the nutritional composition, bioactive potential, processing technologies, and functional applications of Palmyra sprouts, highlighting research gaps and future perspectives for their commercialization in the food industry. Overall, the studies suggest that untapped, nutritionally dense Palmyra sprouts have immense potential for food industrial applications and need to be explored in diversified food formulations.