Valorization of Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve Young Shoots in Healthy and Sustainable Diets.

The revalorization of natural resources in food production is increasing, and the effect of climate change is negatively affecting the production of conventional crops. In recent years, edible halophytes have received more attention due to their ability to tolerate a wide range of salinities. Thus, the use of halophytes that require less water and are strongly adapted to high-salinity soil and coastal areas can provide sustainable agriculture in certain areas. In addition, there is growing interest in the study of the possibilities that these species offer as foods due to their excellent nutritional profile and antioxidant properties. For that reason, the exploitation of plants adapted to these areas is nowadays even more important than in the past to guarantee food security in arid or semiarid salinized territories. The available data about the nutrients and bioactive compounds composition of many non-cultivated edible vegetables traditionally used in the Mediterranean area, such as Salicornia edible young shoots, are still scarce. With the aim of improving the knowledge on their nutritional value, the present study provides new data about the content of some compounds with biological activity, such as fiber and organic acids, in eight samples of young shoots of S. patula Duval-Jouve gathered in great mainland and coastal salt marshes in Southwest and Central Spain. Results showed that this vegetable can be considered a healthy food and a very good source of dietary fiber (4.81-6.30 g/100 g fw total fiber). Its organic acid profile showed oxalic, malic, citric and succinic acids. Oxalic acid was the major one, with mean values of 0.151-1.691 g/100 g fw. From the results obtained in this study, S. patula shoots could be recommended as an alternative source of fiber for healthy and sustainable diets in the general adult population with no risk of renal disease.

Bioactive Compounds in Rosehip (Rosa canina) Powder with Encapsulating Agents.

Rosa canina pseudo-fruits contain interesting bioactive compounds. This work aims to evaluate the use of different biopolymers as encapsulating agents on the content of organic acids, minerals, fibers, phenols, carotenoids, and the antioxidant activity of the powdered product. Fruits were ground and freeze-dried with or without biopolymers (maltodextrin, resistant maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, and pea protein). Rosehip formulated purees with encapsulating agents are an interesting food ingredient rich in fiber and minerals that could be used in the food industry in order to obtain different functional foods. Results obtained in this study show that all formulated samples are a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese. Both rosehip without biopolymers and rosehip with pea protein formulations are also a good source of Zn. Formulation with pea protein can be claimed as a good source of Fe. All formulations are food ingredients with a very high content of ascorbic acid. Comparing the encapsulating agents, depending on the studied bioactive compound samples behaved differently. In conclusion, it can be indicated that pea protein is recommended as an encapsulating agent since the rosehip with pea protein sample has the highest content of fiber, minerals, organic acids, and carotenoids among the encapsulating agents studied.

Scientific Evidence of the Beneficial Effects of Tomato Products on Cardiovascular Disease and Platelet Aggregation.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels that includes numerous problems, many of which are related to the process called atherosclerosis. The present work is aimed to analyze the most relevant studies examining the potentially beneficial effects of tomato products on both CVD prevention and antiplatelet aggregation as well as an European Food Safety Authority health claims evaluation on tomato and tomato products. To date, only one health claim has been approved for a concentrated extract of tomato soluble in water (WSTC) marketed under the patented name of Fruitflow® with two forms of presentation: WSTC I and II, with the following claim "helping to maintain normal platelet aggregation, which contributes to healthy blood flow." Other studies also demonstrate similar beneficial effects for fresh tomatoes, tomato products and tomato pomace extracts.

Three Amazonian palms as underestimated and little-known sources of nutrients, bioactive compounds and edible insects.

Mauritia flexuosa, Bactris gasipaes, and Oenocarpus bataua are among the main palms in the Amazon used for food and medicinal purposes. The food most commonly derived from these are fruits, oil, and the larvae of the insect Rhynchophorus palmarum reared in their trunks. Palm fruits are used for oil extraction as they are rich in saturated fatty acids, fiber, pro-vitamin A, carotenoids, tocopherols, macro and microelements, and polyphenols. Furthermore, the larvae of R. palmarum are rich in lipids, vitamin E, and proteins. This review analyzes the chemical composition of the fruit and oil of these palm species, as well as the R. palmarum larvae that breed in them. Our aim is to present information that is not widely known in order to demonstrate the potential of these palms as sources of plant-based and animal food with high nutritional and functional values.