Caracterização nutricional e toxicológica de espécies de plantas silvestres. Análise mineral, antioxidante e de lectinas

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Qualidade e Segurança Alimentar - Instituto Superior de Agronomia In the present work, leaves of four wild plants (Rumex crispus (curly dock), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard), Beta maritima (sea beet) and Sonchus oleraceus (sow thistle)) were studied in order to analyse for their mineral composition, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and detection of lectins (anti-nutritive compound). The mineral and antioxidant study of different species was compared with cultivated plants of same family (rhubarb, turnip greens, common chard and lettuce). In wild plants, per 100 g of part edible, the elements most notably were magnesium (52.70 mg), iron (2.69 mg) and zinc (0.46 mg). The phenolic content varied between 891.55 and 105.84 mg GAE/ 100 g dry weight and the leaves of Rumex crispus had an antioxidant capacity three times higher than other species. All extracts, except Rumex crispus, revealed presence of lectins in leaves subject to thermal treatment. These results suggest that leaves of Rumex cripus may have potential in the food industry and the lectins of other species could have various applications. Further research is needed for a more complete characterization these plants and its uses