Abstract
In this study, five wild edible herbs traditionally consumed in the Tuscany region (Italy) were evaluated for their potential in human nutrition. The nutraceutical characterization of Rumex acetosa, Cichorium intybus, Picris hieracioides, Sanguisorba minor, and Plantago coronopus, as well as their sensory profile were reported. Additionally, a preliminary assessment of completely different domestication of the wild species (named “soilless”, pot, and open field) was conducted to verify the possibility of their marketability, which is impossible if the plants are only gathered as wild. The open field domestication allowed to obtain plants with nutraceutical and sensory profiles similar to those of the wild species, especially in C. intybus, P. hieracioides, and S. minor. The pot domestication allow to obtain plants with chlorophyll and carotenoid contents close to those of the wild species, as well as a lower total phenolic and flavonoid content and ascorbic acid content than wild species. In the “soilless” method, R. acetosa and P. coronopus exhibited a high quality in terms of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity. Afterward, the sensory profile was strongly affected by the domestication in terms of the palatability, except for R. acetosa and P. coronopus, which displayed Hedonic Index (HI) values close to the consumer acceptability limit (HI = 6). A sensory profile similar to that of wild species was reported in open field domestication, whereas a worse sensory profile was reported in P. hieracioides and C. intybus domesticated using the soilless method. Finally, according to the preliminary assessment carried out in this study through an analysis of the general nutraceutical properties, S. minor was shown to be the most promising species thanks to its intrinsically highest nutraceutical properties considering the marketability of wild edible herbs as “new” functional food. However, further research on the bioavailability and bioactivity tests of nutraceutical compounds present in this species are required to confirm the findings of this study.
Highlights
In the last few decades, the interest in wild edible herbs has increased thanks to their already known medicinal properties [1,2,3,4], as well as their use in dietary supplements as a source of nutraceutical properties and bioactive compounds [5,6,7,8]
Three completely different attempts of domestication were evaluated in this study
Leaves of plants domesticated with the open field (OF) method had nutraceutical and sensory profiles similar to those of the wild species, especially in C. intybus, P. hieracioides, and S. minor
Summary
In the last few decades, the interest in wild edible herbs has increased thanks to their already known medicinal properties [1,2,3,4], as well as their use in dietary supplements as a source of nutraceutical properties and bioactive compounds [5,6,7,8]. Foods 2020, 9, 1065 food can be defined as “a food that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a human disease” thanks to the content of phytochemicals, mainly synthesized by shikimic and phenylpropanoid pathways, as well as the terpenoid pathway [9], even though the consumed amounts of wild edible herbs cannot currently be considered sufficient to ensure that these herbs achieve a bio-functionality in the human diet. Some of these herbs have already been characterized for uses other than as food, such as pharmaceutical and medicinal ones. The domestication of five wild species [sorrel (Rumex acetosa L.), chicory (C. intybus), hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides L.), salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor Scop.), and buck’s horn plantain (Plantago coronopus L.)] was evaluated to investigate the opportunity to grow “new” horticultural crops and to extend the offer of food markets [23]
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