Previous Article in Journal
Characterization of the Major Odor-Active Compounds in Fresh Rhizomes and Leaves of Houttuynia cordata by Comparative Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Foods
Volume 14
Issue 13
10.3390/foods14132304
foods-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Food-Grade Polar Extracts from Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) By-Products: Unlocking Potential for the Food Industry

by
Aizhan Ashim
1,
Lama Ismaiel
1,
Benedetta Fanesi
1,
Ancuta Nartea
1,
Antonietta Maoloni
1,
Oghenetega Lois Orhotohwo
1,
Helen Stephanie Ofei Darko
1,
Paolo Lucci
1,*,
Lucia Aquilanti
1,
Deborah Pacetti
1,*,
Roberta Pino
2,
Rosa Tundis
2 and
Monica Rosa Loizzo
2
1
Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
2
Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Foods 2025, 14(13), 2304; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132304 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 16 June 2025 / Revised: 25 June 2025 / Accepted: 27 June 2025 / Published: 28 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Food Security and Sustainability)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Crithmum maritimum L. is a halophyte with antioxidant and antimicrobial potential for the food industry. Pruning generates a by-product composed of woody stems, old leaves, and flowers. To valorize this underutilized and largely unexplored biomass, food-grade polar extraction (hydroethanolic vs. aqueous) was applied. The extracts were characterized for their bioactive compounds (polyphenols, tocopherols, carotenoids, total phenols (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC)). Further, the extracts were assessed for their in vitro antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and β-carotene bleaching) and antimicrobial activity against eight target strains ascribed to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria innocua. The hydroethanolic extract exhibited higher concentration of bioactives compared to the water extract and raw by-product. The β-carotene bleaching test revealed that both extracts are potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. The aqueous extract showed no antimicrobial activity, while the ethanolic extract exhibited strain-dependent behavior against S. aureus and L. innocua but not E. coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of the ethanolic extract against S. aureus were 2.5 MIC and 10.0 MBC mg/mL, respectively. Ethanolic extracts could potentially be used in food formulations to enhance lipid peroxidation resistance and antimicrobial capacity as food-grade natural preservatives.
Keywords: halophyte; Apiaceae; antioxidant; antimicrobial; polyphenols; carotenoids; tocopherols; TPC; TFC halophyte; Apiaceae; antioxidant; antimicrobial; polyphenols; carotenoids; tocopherols; TPC; TFC

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Ashim, A.; Ismaiel, L.; Fanesi, B.; Nartea, A.; Maoloni, A.; Orhotohwo, O.L.; Darko, H.S.O.; Lucci, P.; Aquilanti, L.; Pacetti, D.; et al. Food-Grade Polar Extracts from Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) By-Products: Unlocking Potential for the Food Industry. Foods 2025, 14, 2304. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132304

AMA Style

Ashim A, Ismaiel L, Fanesi B, Nartea A, Maoloni A, Orhotohwo OL, Darko HSO, Lucci P, Aquilanti L, Pacetti D, et al. Food-Grade Polar Extracts from Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) By-Products: Unlocking Potential for the Food Industry. Foods. 2025; 14(13):2304. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132304

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ashim, Aizhan, Lama Ismaiel, Benedetta Fanesi, Ancuta Nartea, Antonietta Maoloni, Oghenetega Lois Orhotohwo, Helen Stephanie Ofei Darko, Paolo Lucci, Lucia Aquilanti, Deborah Pacetti, and et al. 2025. "Food-Grade Polar Extracts from Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) By-Products: Unlocking Potential for the Food Industry" Foods 14, no. 13: 2304. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132304

APA Style

Ashim, A., Ismaiel, L., Fanesi, B., Nartea, A., Maoloni, A., Orhotohwo, O. L., Darko, H. S. O., Lucci, P., Aquilanti, L., Pacetti, D., Pino, R., Tundis, R., & Loizzo, M. R. (2025). Food-Grade Polar Extracts from Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) By-Products: Unlocking Potential for the Food Industry. Foods, 14(13), 2304. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132304

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.
Back to TopTop