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Nutritional and Bioactive Characterization of Unconventional Food Plants for Sustainable Functional Applications

2025Journal article Open access
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datacite.subject.fosCiências Naturais::Outras Ciências Naturais
datacite.subject.fosCiências Agrárias::Biotecnologia Agrária e Alimentar
datacite.subject.sdg02:Erradicar a Fome
datacite.subject.sdg03:Saúde de Qualidade
datacite.subject.sdg12:Produção e Consumo Sustentáveis
datacite.subject.sdg15:Proteger a Vida Terrestre
dc.contributor.authorOliveira, Izamara
dc.contributor.authorSalgado, José Miguel R.T.
dc.contributor.authorLopes, João Pedro Krauspenhar
dc.contributor.authorCarocho, Márcio
dc.contributor.authorSilveira, Tayse F. F. da
dc.contributor.authorGarcia, Vitor Augusto dos Santos
dc.contributor.authorCalhelha, Ricardo C.
dc.contributor.authorSantos-Buelga, Celestino
dc.contributor.authorBarros, Lillian
dc.contributor.authorHeleno, Sandrina A.
dc.date.accessioned2025-11-11T14:34:44Z
dc.date.available2025-11-11T14:34:44Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractUnconventional food plants (UFPs) are increasingly valued for their nutritional composition and bioactive potential. This study proposes a comprehensive characterization of the chemical and bioactive properties of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) (PA); Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott (Araceae) (XS); Stachys byzantina K. Koch (Lamiaceae) (SB); and inflorescences from three cultivars of Musa acuminata (Musaceae) var. Dwarf Cavendish, var. BRS Platina, and var. BRS Conquista (MAD, MAP, and MAC), including the assessment of physical, nutritional, phytochemical, and biological parameters. Notably, detailed phenolic profiles were established for these species, many of which are poorly documented in the literature. XS was characterized by a unique abundance of C-glycosylated flavones, especially apigenin and luteolin derivatives, rarely described for this species. SB exhibited high levels of phenylethanoid glycosides, particularly verbascoside and its isomers (up to 21.32 mg/g extract), while PA was rich in O-glycosylated flavonols such as quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin derivatives. Nutritionally, XS had the highest protein content (16.3 g/100 g dw), while SB showed remarkable dietary fiber content (59.8 g/100 g). Banana inflorescences presented high fiber (up to 66.5 g/100 g) and lipid levels (up to 7.35 g/100 g). Regarding bioactivity, PA showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (95.21%) and SB the highest reducing power in the FRAP assay (4085.90 mu M TE/g). Cellular antioxidant activity exceeded 2000% in most samples, except for SB. Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities were generally low, with only SB showing moderate effects against Caco-2 and AGS cell lines. SB and PA demonstrated the strongest antimicrobial activity, particularly against Yersinia enterocolitica, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Enterococcus faecalis, with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.156 to 0.625 mg/mL. Linear discriminant analysis revealed distinctive chemical patterns among the species, with organic acids (e.g., oxalic up to 7.53 g/100 g) and fatty acids (e.g., linolenic acid up to 52.38%) as key discriminant variables. Overall, the study underscores the nutritional and functional relevance of these underutilized plants and contributes rare quantitative data to the scientific literature regarding their phenolic signatures.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC): CIMO,UIDB/00690/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/00690/2020) and UIDP/00690/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/00690/2020) and SusTEC, LA/P/0007/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0007/2020), National funding by FCT- Foundation for Science and Technology, throughthe institutional and individual scientific employment program-contract for Sandrina A. Heleno, Lillian Barros (DOI: 10.54499/CEECINST/00107/2021/CP2793/CT0002); and the contract of MárcioCarocho (CEEC-IND/00831/2018); through the individual research grant of Izamara de Oliveira BD/06017/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/2020.06017.BD). Vitor Augusto dos Santos Garcia and Giuseppina Pace Pereira Lima would like to acknowledge the São Paulo Research FoundationSustainability 2025, 17, 6718 27 of 32 (FAPESP, Process number: 2023/06134-0) for providing financial support. The GIP-USAL is financiallysupported by Consejería de Educación-Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) through the Grant SA093P20.
dc.identifier.citationOliveira, Izamara; Salgado, José Miguel R.T.; Lopes, João Pedro Krauspenhar; Carocho, Márcio; Silveira, Tayse F. F. da; Garcia, Vitor Augusto dos Santos; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Santos-Buelga, Celestino; Barros, Lillian; Heleno, Sandrina A. (2025). Nutritional and Bioactive Characterization of Unconventional Food Plants for Sustainable Functional Applications. Sustainability. ISSN 2071-1050. 17:15, p. 1-32
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/su17156718
dc.identifier.issn2071-1050
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10198/35033
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.relationMountain Research Center
dc.relationAssociate Laboratory for Sustainability and Tecnology in Mountain Regions
dc.relation.ispartofSustainability
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
dc.subjectPhenolic compounds
dc.subjectAntioxidant capacity
dc.subjectAntimicrobial activity
dc.subjectPlant-based ingredients
dc.subjectFunctional foods
dc.titleNutritional and Bioactive Characterization of Unconventional Food Plants for Sustainable Functional Applicationseng
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardTitleMountain Research Center
oaire.awardTitleAssociate Laboratory for Sustainability and Tecnology in Mountain Regions
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP%2F00690%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/LA%2FP%2F0007%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.endPage32
oaire.citation.issue15
oaire.citation.startPage1
oaire.citation.titleSustainability
oaire.citation.volume17
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
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project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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