Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.): from underutilized crop to new dried product for food use

  • Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops
  • Published:
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) is a perennial halophyte species typical of coastal ecosystems, used fresh in traditional cuisine and folk medicine due to its sensory properties and a good content of healthy compounds. Although considered as a promising biosaline crop, this halophyte is underutilized for commercial cultivation possibly due to a shortage of its consumer demand. For promoting a full exploitation of this species, a new food product was obtained by drying sea fennel using different treatments (air-drying, microwave-drying, microwave-assisted air-drying and freeze-drying). Water activity, essential oil content, chlorophylls, surface colour, colouring power and sensory evaluation were analyzed. All drying treatments allow to obtain a good water activity but significantly reduced the content of essential oils and chlorophylls. Freeze-drying and microwaving preserved the surface colour parameters more than other drying treatments, while freeze-drying gave the product the best colouring power. Based on sensory analysis, microwave-drying, microwave-assisted air-drying and freeze-drying showed the highest scores among the drying methods. Taken together the results indicate that microwaving and freeze-drying are optimal for preserving qualitative traits, including organoleptic properties, in dried sea fennel for food use. Furthermore, dried sea fennel can be usefully exploited in human food not only for its aromatic traits but also for its food colouring power like other plant derived natural colorants. It could be concluded that this underutilized crop could play a better role for making up a sustainable food production system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atia A, Barhoumi Z, Mokded R, Abdelly C, Smaoui A (2011) Environmental eco-physiology and economical potential of the halophyte Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae). J Med Plants Res 5:3564–3571

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonasia A, Conversa G, Lazzizera C, Elia A (2013) Pre-harvest nitrogen and Azoxystrobin application enhances postharvest shelf-life in Butterhead lettuce. Postharvest Biol Technol 85:67–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho Filho JLS, Blank AF, Alves PB, Ehlert PAD, Melo AS, Cavalcanti SC, Arrigoni-Blank MdF, Silva-Mann R (2006) Influence of the harvesting time, temperature and drying period on basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil. Rev Bras Farmacogn 16(1):24–30

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandrasekaran S, Ramanathan S, Basak T (2013) Microwave food processing—a review. Food Res Int 52:243–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dalgleish J McN (1990) Freeze-drying for the food industries. Elsevier, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Darriet A (2007) Herbs, spices and essential oils. In: Hui YH (ed) Handbook of food products manufacturing. Wiley, New York, pp 205–220

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Di Cesare LF, Forni E, Viscardi D, Nani RC (2003) Changes in the chemical composition of basil caused by different drying procedures. J Agric Food Chem 51:3575–3581

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Díaz-García MC, Castellar MR, Obón JM, Obón C, Alcaraz F, Rivera D (2015) Production of an anthocyanin-rich food colourant from Thymus moroderi and its application in foods. J Sci Food Agric 95:1283–1293

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duangmal K, Saicheua B, Sueeprasan S (2008) Colour evaluation of freeze-dried roselle extract as a natural food colorant in a model system of a drink. LWT-Food Sci Technol 41:1437–1445

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ebert AW (2014) Potential of underutilized traditional vegetables and legume crops to contribute to food and nutritional security, income and more sustainable production systems. Sustainability 6(1):319–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franke W (1982) Vitamin C in sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum), an edible wild plant. Econ Bot 36(2):163–165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hadjichambis ACH, Paraskeva-Hadjichambi D, Della A, Giusti ME, De Pasquale C, Lenzarini C et al (2008) Wild and semidomesticated food plant consumption in seven circum-Mediterranean areas. Int J Food Sci Nutr 59:383–414

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang L-L, Qiao F, Fang C-F (2015) Studies on the microstructure and quality of iron yam slices during combined freeze drying and microwave vacuum drying. J Food Process Preserv 39(6):2152–2160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • International Organization for Standardization (1997) Stand ISO 9235:1997

    Google Scholar 

  • Kathirvel K, Naik RK, Gariepy Y, Orsat V, Raghavan GSV (2006) Microwave drying-a promising alternative for the herb processing industry. Canadian Society for Bioengineering, CSBE/SCGAB paper 06-212

  • Labuza TP (1997) The properties of water in relationship to water binding in foods: a review. J Food Process Preserv 1:167–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez L, Cilla I, Beltrán JA, Roncalés P (2006) Comparative effect of red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus), red beet root (Beta vulgaris) and betanin (E-162) on colour and consumer acceptability of fresh pork sausages packaged in a modified atmosphere. J Sci Food Agric 86:500–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martins N, Roriz CL, Morales P, Barros L, Ferreira IC (2016) Food colorants: challenges, opportunities and current desires of agroindustries to ensure consumer expectations and regulatory practices. Trends Food Sci Technol 52:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muggeridg M, Foods L, Clay M (2000) Quality specifications for herbs and spices. In: Peter KV (ed) Handbook of herbs and spices. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 13–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira SM, Ramos IN, Brandão TR, Silva CL (2015) Effect of air-drying temperature on the quality and bioactive characteristics of dried Galega Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala). J Food Process Preserv 39(6):2485–2496

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Özcan M, Akgül A, Başer KHC, Özek T, Tabanca N (2001) Essential oil composition of sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum) from Turkey. Nahrung/Food 45:353–356

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pateira L, Nogueira T, Antunes A, Venancio F, Tavares R, Capelo J (1999) Two chemotypes of Crithmum maritimum from Portugal. Flavour Frag J 14:333–343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pathare PB, Opara UL, Al-Said FA-J (2013) Colour measurement and analysis in fresh and processed foods: a review. Food Bioprocess Technol 6:36–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira C, Barros L, Carvalho AM, Ferreira CFRI (2011) Nutritional composition and bioactive properties of commonly consumed wild greens: potential sources for new trends in modern diets. Food Res Int 44:2634–2640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perrino EV, Signorile G (2009) Costa di Monopoli (Puglia): check-list della flora vascolare. Inform Bot Ital 41(2):263–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Perrino EV, Signorile G, Marvulli M (2013) A first checklist of the vascular flora of the “Polignano a Mare” coast (Apulia, Southern Italy). Nat Croat 22(2):295–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Pignone D, Hammer K (2016) Parasitic angiosperms as cultivated plants? Genet Resour Crop Evol 63:1273–1284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pistrick K (2002) Current taxonomical overview of cultivated plants in the families Umbelliferae and Labiatae. Genet Resour Crop Evol 49:211–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renna M, Gonnella M (2012) The use of the sea fennel as a new spice-colorant in culinary preparations. Int J Gastron Food Sci 1:111–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renna M, Pace B, Cefola M, Santamaria P, Serio F, Gonnella M (2013) Comparison of two jam making methods to preserve the quality of colored carrots. LWT-Food Sci Technol 53:547–554

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renna M, Gonnella M, Giannino D, Santamaria P (2014) Quality evaluation of cook-chilled chicory stems (Cichorium intybus L., Catalogna group) by conventional and sous vide cooking methods. J Sci Food Agric 94:656–665

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Renna M, Cocozza C, Gonnella M, Abdelrahman H, Santamaria P (2015) Elemental characterization of wild edible plants from countryside and urban areas. Food Chem 177:29–36

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rohloff J, Dragland S, Mordal R, Iversen T-H (2005) Effect of harvest time and drying method on biomass production, essential oil yield, and quality of peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.). J Agric Food Chem 53:4143–4148

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sahoo NRM, Bal LS, Pal U, Sahoo D (2015) Impact of pretreatment and drying methods on quality attributes of onion shreds. Food Technol Biotechnol 53(1):57–65

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schiffmann RF (1992) Microwave processing in the US food industry. Food Technol 56:50–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin LE, Zzaman W, Kuang YT, Bhat R (2015) Influence of dehydration techniques on physicochemical, antioxidant and microbial qualities of Ipomoea aquatica Forsk.: an underutilized green leafy vegetable. J Food Process Preserv 39(6):118–1124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soysal Y (2004) Microwave drying characteristics of Parsley. Biosyst Eng 89:167–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yousif AN, Durance TD, Scaman CH, Girard B (2000) Headspace volatiles and physical characteristics of vacuum-microwave, air, and freeze-dried oregano (Lippia berlandieri Schauer). J Food Sci 65:926–930

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zarrouk M, El Almi H, Ben Youssef N, Sleimi N, Ben Miled D, Smaoui A, Abdelly C (2004) Lipid composition of seeds of local halophyte species: Cakile maritima, Zygophyllum album and Crithmum maritimum. In: Lieth H (ed) Cash crop halophytes: recent studies. Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, Dordrecht, pp 121–126

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by MIUR (Research Projects)—project ‘High-convenience fruits and vegetables: new technologies for quality and new products’, PON01_01435) and by Regione Puglia Administration under “Intervento cofinanziato dal Fondo di Sviluppo e Coesione 2007–2013—APQ Ricerca Regione Puglia—Programma regionale a sostegno della specializzazione intelligente e della sostenibilità sociale ed ambientale FutureInResearch”—project ‘Innovazioni di prodotto e di processo per la valorizzazione della Biodiversità Orticola pugliese (InnoBiOrt)’. The authors thank Leone D’Amico for technical assistance in essential oil extraction and Antony Green for the editing in academic English.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola, 165/A, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Massimiliano Renna

  2. Institute of Sciences of Food Production, CNR - National Research Council of Italy, Via G. Amendola, 122/O, 70126, Bari, Lecce, Italy

    Maria Gonnella, Sofia Caretto, Giovanni Mita & Francesco Serio

Authors
  1. Massimiliano Renna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Gonnella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sofia Caretto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Giovanni Mita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Francesco Serio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Massimiliano Renna.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in connexion to the present manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Renna, M., Gonnella, M., Caretto, S. et al. Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.): from underutilized crop to new dried product for food use. Genet Resour Crop Evol 64, 205–216 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0472-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0472-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation