Abstract
Halophyte plants are highly adapted to salt marsh ecosystems due to their physiological and ecological characteristics. Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen is one abundant halophyte shrub that belongs to a Chenopodiaceae family and Caryophyllales order and is found on sandy or muddy coastlines and salt marshes. In this study, the leaves of sea purslane (H. portulacoides) grown in Figueira da Foz (Portugal) were characterized at nutritional and mineral concentration. Moreover, different methanolic extracts were obtained from the leaves, and the antioxidant activity was assessed by several methods. From a nutritional point of view, this halophyte plant may be considered a good source of dietary fiber, protein, natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and potassium. The primary sugar found in leaves of sea purslane is maltose, followed by sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Finally, leaves showed a high content of phenolic compounds and considerable antioxidant activity. The novel products butter and pasta enriched with powder dried leaves of H. portulacoides revealed the plant’s potential to be used as a salt substitute and a good alternative to enhance the sensory characteristics of products, with additional health benefits. The nutritional characteristics and the phytochemical value highlight H. portulacoides as a potential candidate crop in saline agriculture and to be used as a new vegetable, especially as a premium food in the novel “salty veggies” market or as a kitchen salt substitute.
Highlights
The present work determined the nutritional and mineral profile of H. portulacoides leaves collected in the salterns of Figueira da Foz (Portugal) and their biological activity
The halophyte sea purslane plant may be considered a good source of dietary fiber, protein, and lipids, presenting higher concentration of these nutrients than some Salicornia species that are halophyte plants suitable for human consumption and considered as promising functional foods
High concentration of minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous were found in sea purslane leaves
Summary
The increase of the world population leads to increased agricultural production to obtain the necessary amount of food to feed everyone on the planet. An example of a new strategy is the introduction of non-conventional plant-based foods [2] Regarding this issue, the interest in natural ingredients with good nutritional and functional components properties that can replace synthetic ones has been increasing in order to develop promising functional foods [2]. The loss of agrobiodiversity has been an incentive to the introduction in agrosystems of innovative crops with high-value biochemical composition and adaptability to climate change and soil salinities. In this context, halophyte plants are extremely adapted to salt marsh ecosystems due to their physiological and ecological characteristics
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