The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product
Edible flowers are becoming very popular, as consumers are seeking healthier and more attractive food products that can improve their diet aesthetics and diversify their dietary sources of micronutrients. The great variety of flowers that can be eaten is also associated with high variability in chem...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/22/6940 |
| _version_ | 1797509194615619584 |
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| author | Eleomar de O. Pires Francesco Di Gioia Youssef Rouphael Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira Cristina Caleja Lillian Barros Spyridon A. Petropoulos |
| author_facet | Eleomar de O. Pires Francesco Di Gioia Youssef Rouphael Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira Cristina Caleja Lillian Barros Spyridon A. Petropoulos |
| author_sort | Eleomar de O. Pires |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Edible flowers are becoming very popular, as consumers are seeking healthier and more attractive food products that can improve their diet aesthetics and diversify their dietary sources of micronutrients. The great variety of flowers that can be eaten is also associated with high variability in chemical composition, especially in bioactive compounds content that may significantly contribute to human health. The advanced analytical techniques allowed us to reveal the chemical composition of edible flowers and identify new compounds and effects that were not known until recently. Considering the numerous species of edible flowers, the present review aims to categorize the various species depending on their chemical composition and also to present the main groups of compounds that are usually present in the species that are most commonly used for culinary purposes. Moreover, special attention is given to those species that contain potentially toxic or poisonous compounds as their integration in human diets should be carefully considered. In conclusion, the present review provides useful information regarding the chemical composition and the main groups of chemical compounds that are present in the flowers of the most common species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:14:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb254b9ba4c44143a81479d7f8fb1c34 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:14:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb254b9ba4c44143a81479d7f8fb1c342023-11-23T00:36:04ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-11-012622694010.3390/molecules26226940The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural ProductEleomar de O. Pires0Francesco Di Gioia1Youssef Rouphael2Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira3Cristina Caleja4Lillian Barros5Spyridon A. Petropoulos6Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalDepartment of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USADepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Universita 100, 80055 Portici, ItalyCentro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalCentro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalCentro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalDepartment of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Fytokou Street, N. Ionia, 38446 Volos, GreeceEdible flowers are becoming very popular, as consumers are seeking healthier and more attractive food products that can improve their diet aesthetics and diversify their dietary sources of micronutrients. The great variety of flowers that can be eaten is also associated with high variability in chemical composition, especially in bioactive compounds content that may significantly contribute to human health. The advanced analytical techniques allowed us to reveal the chemical composition of edible flowers and identify new compounds and effects that were not known until recently. Considering the numerous species of edible flowers, the present review aims to categorize the various species depending on their chemical composition and also to present the main groups of compounds that are usually present in the species that are most commonly used for culinary purposes. Moreover, special attention is given to those species that contain potentially toxic or poisonous compounds as their integration in human diets should be carefully considered. In conclusion, the present review provides useful information regarding the chemical composition and the main groups of chemical compounds that are present in the flowers of the most common species.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/22/6940edible flowersphenolic compoundsantioxidant activityanthocyaninsalkaloidsbetacyanins |
| spellingShingle | Eleomar de O. Pires Francesco Di Gioia Youssef Rouphael Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira Cristina Caleja Lillian Barros Spyridon A. Petropoulos The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product Molecules edible flowers phenolic compounds antioxidant activity anthocyanins alkaloids betacyanins |
| title | The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product |
| title_full | The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product |
| title_fullStr | The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product |
| title_short | The Compositional Aspects of Edible Flowers as an Emerging Horticultural Product |
| title_sort | compositional aspects of edible flowers as an emerging horticultural product |
| topic | edible flowers phenolic compounds antioxidant activity anthocyanins alkaloids betacyanins |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/22/6940 |
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