Vol. 12, Issue 7 (2023)

Author(s):
Ritvika Rajpurohit

Abstract:
Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) is a drought-resistant tree native to India and other dry places across the world. The plant Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce (family Leguminosae, subfamily Mimosoideae) has several traditional medical uses. People's lives are impacted in social, ethnotechnical, traditional, and therapeutic ways by P. cineraria. The tree produces numerous products, including firewood, charcoal, gum, and medicines. Its wood is exploited for architecture, furniture, and agricultural equipment, while its pods are consumed as animal feed. One of the remarkable properties of khejri beans is their ability to preserve their nutritional content even after processing. This makes them excellent additions to foods that require long-term preservation, such as canned or packaged foods. Moreover, khejri is recognised for its medicinal properties. Traditional medicine employs the tree to cure a number of maladies, including digestive issues, skin disorders, and respiratory illnesses. The present review has studied the physicochemical features and bioactive potential of Prosopis cineraria. It has highlighted the myriad industrial applications, including the manufacture of fermented, non-fermented, and syrup-based beverages. Khejri is also utilised in making bakery products, which help enhance the shelf life and nutritional status of the product. Additionally, they create an amber-colored, water-soluble gum that builds a coating over time. Camels, cattle, sheep, and goats readily consume the leaves and pods as animal feed because of their high palatability and nutritional content. However, as the leaves contain 8–10% tannins, there is more scope and potential for the khejri, yet constraints like lack of awareness and not enough exposure have been the major drawbacks that are required to be addressed.