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.
Highlights
The land area affected by high concentrations of salts in the soil is increasing day by day
An alternative crop source in global food scarcity is the use of maritime plants, such as halophytes to compensate the demand of food in whole world, especially in the dry regions [1]
Salicornia and Sarcocornia genus (Chenopodiaceae, subfamily Salicornioideae), which are extreme salt-tolerant plants, are two potential halophyte plants to be produced as a vegetable crop, and with the possibility of cultivation in saline environments worldwide [4,5,6]
Summary
The land area affected by high concentrations of salts in the soil is increasing day by day. The accumulation and effect of excessive ions of Na+ and Cl− (salt ions) in the soil, limits crop productivity by severely reducing its growth. This results in a negative impact on food security, economy, and environment. Halophyte plants that grow naturally in salt marshes and that represent 1–2% of the flora in the world can cope with saline conditions and can be used for reclaiming salt-affected soil in arid-zone irrigation areas [2,3].
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