You are what you eat, so wouldn’t you like to be a little bit better by eating better? That’s why Dr Lim Yin Sze, Associate Professor of School of Biosciences and her team are trying to revive certain superfoods back into our lives.
Wait, what are are these superfoods?
Underutilised crops - plants once used more frequently in traditional cooking, medicine, or animal feed.
In our backyards and village paths across Malaysia, there are local plants that thrive unseen. Crops like the Moringa Oleifera and Lablab Beans are underutilised crops; nutritious plants once used frequently in traditional cooking, medicine, or animal feed. Because they’re indigenous to our climate, they’re very easy to cultivate.
However, over time they’ve been pushed aside by modern farming and the rise of imported food. Changes in lifestyle, loss of traditional knowledge, and a focus on profitable crops have also contributed to their decline, leaving these nutritious plants frequently overlooked despite their great potential.
From Research to Real Impact
This research began with a simple idea: How can we use what we already have to solve big challenges like malnutrition and food insecurity?
As the research progressed, the team kicked off a community-focused project, funded by Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) and supported by Women of Will (WOW) to empower underprivileged B40 women in Malaysia. The project taught them how to turn these crops into nutritious products and viable small businesses.
Third from right - Dr Lim Yin Sze and her research team standing infront of the Food Processing Pilot Facility.
25 women from the B40 community have since received training in food processing, nutrition, and entrepreneurship at the facility. Many have seen improvements in their family’s diets and enhanced their business performance, showcasing how local knowledge and modern science can work together to improve lives.
“Food connects us across generations and communities to a better future. Seeing these women gain confidence through science makes this work meaningful. When someone leaves this facility with a product they’ve created, new knowledge, and greater confidence, that’s when we truly see our impact” said Dr Lim.
This project has created new opportunities for families and communities through healthier meals, extra income, and new skills. In 2023, a Food Processing Pilot Facility was established to support UNM researchers and students in developing innovative food products using local crops and new processing methods. This is a small yet meaningful step toward a local, diverse, and sustainable food system that benefits Malaysians and the planet.