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Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 37896

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Dr. Oscar Martinez-Alvarez

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CSIC—Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Alimentos y Nutricion (ICTAN), Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN, CSIC), Madrid, Spain
Interests: seafood by-products; bioactive molecules; in vivo assays; enzymes; protein hydrolysates; upgrading; bioactive ingredients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. M. Elvira López-Caballero

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Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, ICTAN-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
Interests: food quality; microorganisms; minimal processing technologies; edible coatings/films; functional fish products; valorization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Halophytes are plants that grow abundantly in coastal areas or dunes. They are an important source of nutrients and molecules of technological and functional interest, but in general, they are barely used in gastronomy. Some aquatic plants such as rice (Oryza sativa) are cultivated worldwide, but others are underutilized, although they could be a source of nutrients or ingredients of food interest. Some algae serve as food in some parts of the world, but there are others rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds of high antioxidant capacity as carotenoids and polyphenols.

In this context, we invite authors to contribute to this Special Issue with articles related to the use of halophytes, aquatic plants, and/or algae for food applications. This includes their use as food or as a source of nutrients or ingredients with technological interest, such as antioxidants, emulsifiers, or gelling agents. The use of bioactive extracts from these plants and/or algae for food applications is also of interest to this Special Issue.

Dr. Oscar Martinez-Alvarez
Dr. Maria Elvira López-Caballero
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Halophytes
Aquatic plants
Algae
Bioactive extracts
Food quality
Functional food
Antimicrobials
Antioxidants
Ingredients
Valorization

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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21 pages, 1272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Polyphenols in Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum) and Seaside Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima) Extracts with Antioxidant, ACE-I, DPP-IV and PEP-Inhibitory Capacity

by Marta María Calvo, María Elvira López-Caballero and Oscar Martínez-Alvarez

Foods 2023, 12(21), 3886; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12213886 - 24 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1449

Abstract

Sea fennel and seaside arrowgrass are two abundant but underutilized halophytes along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. This study investigated the antioxidant capacity and the potential antihypertensive (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme I, ACE-I inhibition), hypoglycaemic (Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV, DPP-IV inhibition), and nootropic (Prolyl Endopeptidase, PEP inhibition) activity of their polyphenol extracts. They had a high phenol content (21–24 mEq GA/g), antioxidant capacity evaluated using the ABTS (17–2 mg ascorbic acid/g) and FRAP (170–270 mM Mohr’s salt/g) assays, and effective ACE-inhibiting properties (80–90% inhibiting activity at final concentration of 0.5 mg/mL). Additionally, the sea fennel extract displayed high DPP-IV inhibitory capacity (73% at 1 mg/mL), while the seaside arrowgrass extract exhibited potent Prolyl endopeptidase inhibitory capacity (75% at 1 mg/mL). Fractionation by HPLC concentrated the bioactive molecules in two fractions, for which the composition was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Different chlorogenic acids seemed to play an important role in the bioactivity of sea fennel extract, and different flavonoids, mainly apigenin, luteolin and chrysoeriol, in the bioactivity of the seaside arrowgrass extract. Given their potential health benefits, these extracts could serve as valuable bioactive ingredients and could potentially encourage the cultivation of these species in regions where traditional crops face challenges in growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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16 pages, 913 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant, Antihypertensive, Hypoglycaemic and Nootropic Activity of a Polyphenolic Extract from the Halophyte Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum)

by Marta María Calvo, Ana Belén Martín-Diana, Daniel Rico, María Elvira López-Caballero and Oscar Martínez-Álvarez

Foods 2022, 11(11), 1581; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11111581 - 27 May 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2705

Abstract

This study aims to determine the potential antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic and nootropic activity of a purified polyphenolic extract from the halophyte ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum). The ice plant extract showed good antioxidant activity measured by DPPH, ORAC, TEAC, FRAP and ferrous ion chelating activity. Moreover, the extract showed potent ACE, DPP-IV and PEP-inhibitory activity (90.5%, 98.6% and 73.1%, respectively, at a final concentration of 1 mg/mL). The extract was fractionated and the fraction with the highest content of total phenolic compounds showed the highest bioactivity, suggesting that polyphenols could be mainly responsible for the abovementioned activities. The tentative polyphenol identification by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS in this fraction revealed that flavones (>65%) are the major group, with apigenin (38%) predominating, followed by diosmin (17.7%) and luteolin (11.9%). They could presumably be the main elements responsible for the enzymatic inhibition activity. Additionally, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid and a hydroxycinnamic acid derivative (2-O-(p-cumaroyl)-l-malic acid) were found in the extract. To our knowledge, this is the first time that some of these activities have been reported for halophyte extracts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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12 pages, 839 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antimicrobial Activity of Red Alga Flour (Gelidium sp.) and Its Effect on Quality Retention of Scomber scombrus during Refrigerated Storage

by José M. Miranda, Marcos Trigo, Jorge Barros-Velázquez and Santiago P. Aubourg

Foods 2022, 11(7), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11070904 - 22 Mar 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2363

Abstract

This study analyzed the antimicrobial effect of aqueous extracts of flour obtained from red alga (Gelidium sp.) both in vitro, against most common food pathogenic and spoilage bacteria, and in a food model system during the chilled storage of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus). Results of in vitro assays allowed the conclusion that the aqueous flour extracts have antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and proteobacteria (Vibrio alginolyticus), and against Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and B. subtilis. In the food model study, different concentrations of the flour extract were present in the icing medium, microbial and chemical analyses being carried out in fish muscle at different storage times. An inhibitory effect (p < 0.05) on microbial growth (aerobes, psychrotrophs, Enterobacteriaceae, and proteolytic and lipolytic bacteria) and on chemical quality indices (pH, total volatile amines, and trimethylamine) was concluded. This effect was more pronounced when the flour extract concentration in the ice increased and at advanced storage times. This study provides a first approach to the beneficial use of flour of the alga Gelidium as a new preserving strategy for chilled fish. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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19 pages, 2642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enrichment of Sunflower Oil with Ultrasound-Assisted Extracted Bioactive Compounds from Crithmum maritimum L.

by Gabriela Sousa, Mariana I. Alves, Marta Neves, Carla Tecelão and Suzana Ferreira-Dias

Foods 2022, 11(3), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11030439 - 2 Feb 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3118

Abstract

Crithmum maritimum L., or sea fennel, is an edible halophyte plant, rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, that naturally grows in Mediterranean coasts. This study aims to incorporate bioactive compounds extracted from lyophilized Crithmum maritimum to sunflower oil assisted by ultrasounds (UAE), to improve its biological value and oxidative stability. UAE conditions were optimized as a function of time (5–20 min) and lyophilized plant concentration (5–20% m/v). The experiments were dictated by a central composite rotatable matrix. Oxidation products were not influenced by UAE conditions. Acidity, chlorophyll, and carotenoid contents were affected by both factors, while total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity (FRAP method) only increased with plant concentration. Response surfaces were fitted to these experimental results. Flavonoids were highly related with oil antioxidant activity. No sensory defects were detected in supplemented oil (12.5% m/v plant/5 min UAE). The oxidative stability of this oil was evaluated at 60 °C/12 days. Chlorophylls, phenols, radical scavenging (DPPH), and antioxidant activities decreased over time but were always higher than the values in non-supplemented oil (8.6 and 7-fold with FRAP and DPPH, respectively). C. maritimum presented high amounts of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, adequate for sunflower oil supplementation by UAE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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17 pages, 1917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sarcocornia perennis: A Salt Substitute in Savory Snacks

by Elsa Clavel-Coibrié, Joana Ride Sales, Aida Moreira da Silva, Maria João Barroca, Isabel Sousa and Anabela Raymundo

Foods 2021, 10(12), 3110; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123110 - 15 Dec 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3896

Abstract

Salt is the primary source of sodium in the human diet, and it is associated with hypertension and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. A growing interest in halophyte plants and food products containing this type of ingredient have been observed, to reduce the NaCl daily intake. In the present work, Sarcocornia perennis was incorporated as a food ingredient into crackers to replace the salt (NaCl) and to evaluate its impact on physical properties, water activity, nutritional composition, mineral profile, total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and sensory evaluation. Concentrations of powder dried S. perennis from 1 to 10% were tested by replacing the initial salt content and adjusting the flour incorporation to the initial formulation. The incorporation of S. perennis had no relevant impact on cracker firmness, but it induced an increase in their crispness. Furthermore, the incorporation of this halophyte originated darker crackers, which was revealed by a decrease of L* and an increase of b* values. In terms of nutritional composition, the incorporation of S. perennis leads to the improvement of the snack’s nutritional profile, namely in terms of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and minerals, highlighting the high content in potassium, magnesium, and phosphor. Crackers with a content of 5% of S. perennis were sensorily well accepted and this level should be considered the limit of incorporation accepted by the panelists. However, by substituting 1% NaCl for an equal amount of S. perennis, it is possible to obtain a 70% reduction in sodium content, which is an important contribution to reducing the overall salt content of the diet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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20 pages, 534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metabolomic Profile and Biological Properties of Sea Lavender (Limonium algarvense Erben) Plants Cultivated with Aquaculture Wastewaters: Implications for Its Use in Herbal Formulations and Food Additives

by Maria João Rodrigues, Viana Castañeda-Loaiza, Ivo Monteiro, José Pinela, Lillian Barros, Rui M. V. Abreu, Maria Conceição Oliveira, Catarina Reis, Florbela Soares, Pedro Pousão-Ferreira, Catarina G. Pereira and Luísa Custódio

Foods 2021, 10(12), 3104; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123104 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3266

Abstract

Water extracts from sea lavender (Limonium algarvense Erben) plants cultivated in greenhouse conditions and irrigated with freshwater and saline aquaculture effluents were evaluated for metabolomics by liquid chromatography-tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS), and functional properties by in vitro and ex vivo methods. In vitro antioxidant methods included radical scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and copper and iron chelating assets. Flowers’ extracts had the highest compounds’ diversity (flavonoids and its derivatives) and strongest in vitro antioxidant activity. These extracts were further tested for ex vivo antioxidant properties by oxidative haemolysis inhibition (OxHLIA), lipid peroxidation inhibition by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation, and anti-melanogenic, anti-tyrosinase, anti-inflammation, and cytotoxicity. Extract from plants irrigated with 300 mM NaCl was the most active towards TBARS (IC₅₀ = 81 µg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC₅₀ = 873 µg/mL). In OxHLIA, the activity was similar for fresh- and saltwater-irrigated plants (300 mM NaCl; IC₅₀ = 136 and 140 µg/mL, respectively). Samples had no anti-inflammatory and anti-melanogenic abilities and were not toxic. Our results suggest that sea lavender cultivated under saline conditions could provide a flavonoid-rich water extract with antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase properties with potential use as a food preservative or as a functional ingredient in herbal supplements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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12 pages, 1664 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparison of β-Carotene, Phytoene and Amino Acids Production in Dunaliella salina DF 15 (CCAP 19/41) and Dunaliella salina CCAP 19/30 Using Different Light Wavelengths

by Yixing Sui, Laura Mazzucchi, Parag Acharya, Yanan Xu, Geraint Morgan and Patricia J. Harvey

Foods 2021, 10(11), 2824; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112824 - 16 Nov 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

Strains of Dunaliella salina microalgae are of considerable research and industrial interest because they hyper-accumulate β-carotene as well as produce high-quality protein. To explore the co-production of valuable compounds in D. salina, this study compared the production of β-carotene, phytoene and amino acids in two strains cultivated under white, red or blue light until no further nitrogen was available. D. salina DF15 (CCAP 19/41 (PLY DF15)) produced more than 12% β-carotene (ash-free dry weight (AFDW) basis), and red light triggered the production of 9-cis β-carotene at a 9-cis/all-trans β-carotene ratio of 1.5. Phytoene production was also evident in D. salina DF15 under all conditions, particularly under blue light. However, the profile of essential amino acids (EAAs) and calculation of the essential amino acid index (EAAI) was less than ideal in terms of protein quality, for both strains. Umami compounds, quantified as monosodium glutamate (MSG) equivalents, indicated a higher equivalent umami concentration (EUC) in D. salina DF15 under red light (3.2 g MSG/100 g AFDW) than in D. salina CCAP19/30. Overall, D. salina DF15 demonstrates valuable traits for further exploration and product optimisation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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11 pages, 276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Pre-Treating Dietary Green Seaweed with Proteolytic and Fibrolytic Enzymes on Physiological and Meat Quality Parameters of Broiler Chickens

by Tumisang Ben Matshogo, Caven Mguvane Mnisi and Victor Mlambo

Foods 2021, 10(8), 1862; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10081862 - 12 Aug 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2925

Abstract

The use of seaweeds as nutraceuticals in chicken diets is limited by high fibre levels and low protein digestibility. Therefore, we tested the effect of pre-treating dietary seaweed (Ulva sp.) with a combination of protease and fibrolytic enzymes on physiological and meat quality parameters of Cobb 500 broilers. Five dietary treatments were formulated by including untreated (T1); fibrolytic (12 g/kg) enzyme-treated (T2); fibrolytic (12 g/kg) and protease (5 g/kg) enzyme-treated (T3); fibrolytic (12 g/kg) and protease (10 g/kg) enzyme-treated (T4); fibrolytic (12 g/kg) and protease (15 g/kg) enzyme-treated (T5) seaweed (35 g/kg) in a standard broiler diet. Three hundred, two-week-old chicks (239.3 ± 8.57 g live weight) were evenly distributed to 30 replicate pens to which the diets were then randomly allocated. Birds fed diet T1 had the highest feed intake (1144.5 g/bird). Neither linear nor quadratic trends were recorded for growth performance and carcass traits in response to protease pre-treatment levels. Gizzard weight linearly increased, while symmetric dimethylarginine, calcium, meat pH₂₄, and hue angle₂₄ quadratically responded to protease levels. Diet T1 promoted the lowest serum phosphorus levels (3.37 mmol/L). In conclusion, pre-treatment of seaweed with a combination of protease and fibrolytic enzymes did not improve diet utilization, physiological parameters, and meat quality in broilers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

10 pages, 1193 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioactive Phenolic Metabolites from Adriatic Brown Algae Dictyota dichotoma and Padina pavonica (Dictyotaceae)

by Ivana Generalić Mekinić, Vida Šimat, Viktorija Botić, Anita Crnjac, Marina Smoljo, Barbara Soldo, Ivica Ljubenkov, Martina Čagalj and Danijela Skroza

Foods 2021, 10(6), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061187 - 25 May 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4205

Abstract

In this study, the influences of temperature (20, 40 and 60 °C) and extraction solvents (water, ethanol) on the ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolics from the Adriatic macroalgae Dictyota dichotoma and Padina pavonica were studied. The extracts were analysed for major phenolic sub-groups (total phenolics, flavonoids and tannins) using spectrometric methods, while the individual phenolics were detected by HPLC. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using three methods: Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power (FRAP), scavenging of the stabile 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and Oxygen Radical Antioxidant Capacity (ORAC). The aim of the study was also to find the connection between the chemical composition of the extracts and their biological activity. Therefore, principal component analysis (PCA), which permits simple representation of different sample data and better visualisation of their correlations, was used. Higher extraction yields of the total phenolics, flavonoids and tannins were obtained using an alcoholic solvent, while a general conclusion about the applied temperature was not established. These extracts also showed good antioxidant activity, especially D. dichotoma extracts, with high reducing capacity (690–792 mM TE) and ORAC values (38.7–40.8 mM TE in 400-fold diluted extracts). The PCA pointed out the significant influence of flavonoids and tannins on the investigated properties. The results of this investigation could be interesting for future studies dealing with the application of these two algae in foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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Review

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32 pages, 2695 KiB

Open AccessReview

Marine Health-Promoting Compounds: Recent Trends for Their Characterization and Human Applications

by Eva Quitério, Cristina Soares, Ricardo Ferraz, Cristina Delerue-Matos and Clara Grosso

Foods 2021, 10(12), 3100; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10123100 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 5193

Abstract

Seaweeds represent a rich source of biologically active compounds with several applications, especially in the food, cosmetics, and medical fields. The beneficial effects of marine compounds on health have been increasingly explored, making them an excellent choice for the design of functional foods. When studying marine compounds, several aspects must be considered: extraction, identification and quantification methods, purification steps, and processes to increase their stability. Advanced green techniques have been used to extract these valuable compounds, and chromatographic methods have been developed to identify and quantify them. However, apart from the beneficial effects of seaweeds for human health, these natural sources of bioactive compounds can also accumulate undesirable toxic elements with potential health risks. Applying purification techniques of extracts from seaweeds may mitigate the amount of excessive toxic components, ensuring healthy and safer products for commercialization. Furthermore, limitations such as stability and bioavailability problems, chemical degradation reactions during storage, and sensitivity to oxidation and photo-oxidation, need to be overcome using, for example, nanoencapsulation techniques. Here we summarize recent advances in all steps of marine products identification and purification and highlight selected human applications, including food and feed applications, cosmetic, human health, and fertilizers, among others. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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23 pages, 3407 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Sarcocornia Species: Ethnopharmacology, Nutritional Properties, Phytochemistry, Biological Activities and Propagation

by Luísa Custódio, Maria João Rodrigues, Catarina G. Pereira, Viana Castañeda-Loaiza, Eliana Fernandes, Dominic Standing, Amir Neori, Muki Shpigel and Moshe Sagi

Foods 2021, 10(11), 2778; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112778 - 11 Nov 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3635

Abstract

Sarcocornia A. J. Scott is a halophytic edible succulent plant belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. To date, the genus includes 28 species distributed worldwide in saline environments, usually salt marshes. Sarcocornia (Scott) is similar to Salicornia (L.), which has a recognized commercial value in morphological and taxonomical traits. Species of both genera are commonly named samphire or glassworts in Europe, and their fleshy shoots are commercialized under their traditional names. Due to their nutritional, organoleptic and medicinal properties, Sarcocornia species have a high economic potential in various biotechnology sectors. Being highly tolerant to salt, they can be cultivated in saline conditions, and dissimilar to Salicornia, they are perennial, i.e., they can be harvested year-round. Therefore, Sarcocornia species are considered promising gourmet vegetables to be explored in the context of climate change, soil and water salinization and eco-sustainability. We hereby put together and reviewed the most relevant information on Sarcocornia taxonomy, morphology, nutritional and pharmacological properties, uses in ethnomedicine, potential applications in biotechnology, and propagation strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Technological and/or Bioactive Ingredients Derived from Halophytes, Marine Plants or Algae in Foods)

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