For centuries, some Indigenous Peoples of the Americas have planted corn, beans and squash or pumpkins together in mounds, in an intercropping complex known as the Three Sisters. Agriculturally, nutritionally and culturally, these three crops are complementary. This literature review aims to compile historical foods prepared from the products of the Three Sisters planting system used in Indigenous communities in the region encompassing southern Quebec and Ontario in Canada, and northeastern USA. The review does not discuss cultural aspects of the Three Sisters cropping system or describe foods specific to any one Indigenous group, but rather, gives an overview of the historical foods stemming from this intercropping system, many foods of which are common or similar from one group to another. Some of the methods of food preparation used have continued over generations, some of the historical foods prepared are the foundation for foods we eat today, and some of both the methods and foods are finding revival.

Cattle production in tropical regions has been estimated to account for just over half of cattle worldwide, yet it has not been demonstrated that sufficient similarities in the cattle exist to describe tropical cattle and, even less so, to characterize the meat from these animals. The aim of this review is to investigate the quality and nutrient composition of meat from cattle raised in the Tropics to determine if there is an axiomatic basis that would allow the definition of a concept of “tropical beef”. Tropical beef is the meat obtained from cattle raised in tropical environments, the population of which remains largely uncharacterized. Production systems in the Tropics are highly diverse but converge on the use of indigenous and Bos indicus breeds or Bos indicus-influenced crossbreeds under pasture feeding regimes. While some systems allow cattle to be slaughtered at ≤2 years of age, most often animals are ≥3 years. These production systems generally produce lean, low-yielding carcasses and tough (>46 N), lean (≤3.6% intramuscular fat) meat with a macronutrient composition otherwise similar to beef from animals raised elsewhere (72–74% moisture and 20–24% protein). Fatty acid profiles depend on the breed and production systems, while mineral content is influenced by the environment. Although lean and tough, tropical beef is highly acceptable to the consumers it serves, is culturally and traditionally relevant and, in many countries, contributes to food security. Consolidating the findings from animal and meat science studies in the Tropics has allowed the demonstration of an axiomatic basis defining “tropical beef” as a concept.