From wild edible plants to contemporary foods: nutritional and phytochemical studies with vegetables and spices

Wild plants have received high importance at different locations and times of the human history given their ability to provide nutrients and protection[1]. In the Northeastern region of Portugal, a mountainous land with a vast biodiversity and cultural heritage, a large number of edible wild plants have become underutilized over time. This abandonment was mainly due to altered lifestyles of the modern society and massive utilization of a restrict number of crops. However, some wild species are now emerging in gardens and kitchens around Europe and increasingly found in farmers' markets, gourmet food shops, and restaurants[1]. Following this trend, this study aimed to characterize five species traditionally consumed as vegetable (Montia fontana L., Nasturtium officinale R. Br., and Rumex induratus Boiss. & Reut.) or as condiment/infusion (Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk and Thymus pulegioides L.) in terms of nutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. Wild specimens were studied for their nutritional value following AOAC procedures; free sugars, fatty acids, tocopherols, and ascorbic acid were analysed by chromatographic techniques; and phenolic compounds were screened by colorimetric methods and characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS[2–5]. All plants revealed low protein contents. The highest levels of carbohydrates were found in the flowering parts of the two spice plants. Fructose and glucose predominated in all samples except in T. pulegioides in which sucrose prevailed. These low-fat foods had healthy fatty acid profiles mainly composed by α-linolenic acid, a precursor of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. M. fontana and R. induratus were sources of ascorbic acid; a 100 g portion of R. induratus contain more than 50% of the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of vitamin C for adults. R. induratus, T. pulegioides, and P. tridentatum had high α-tocopherol levels, with 100 g servings contributing > 30% of the RDA. Regarding bioactive non-nutrients, while P. tridentatum was found particularly rich in total phenolics (particularly flavonoids and dihydroflavonois), T. pulegioides showed the highest total flavonoids content. This work demonstrates that the selected wild edible plants have a healthy nutritional profile and can be considered as interesting contemporary gourmet foods. To FCT (Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); for the grants of M. Añibarro-Ortega (2020.06297.BD), A.K. Molina (2020.06231.BD) and C.L. Roriz (SFRH/ BD/117995/2016), the contracts of J. Pinela (CEECIND/01011/2018), C. Pereira, Â. Fernandes, and L. Barros through the scientific employment program-contract; to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through Project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P and to FEDER through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, under the Project GreenHealth, Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion