Food products from halophytes

Drinking water is becoming increasingly scarce, yet the world's population is growing. Alternative strategies for the use of water in agriculture must therefore be found. A high proportion of our water sources are saline. For this reason, the use of salt-tolerant plants, the halophytes, is becoming increasingly important in agriculture. Halophytes are also rich in secondary metabolites such as chlorophyll, carotenoids and flavonoids. 

In the BAMS project HAFF, the biomass production of halophytes is used for nutrient reduction in the wastewater of aquaculture facilities or nutrient-rich surface waters. Besides validating the different techniques and estimating the potential for nutrient reduction, the further use of the growing salt-tolerant plants in the food sector will be evaluated. For this reason, the development of innovative product ideas is also part of the project. 

Smoothies were chosen as the first product. Within the product development of green smoothies with halophytes as an ingredient, the plants trident (Triglochin maritima), beach aster (Tripolium pannonicum) and Queller (Salicornia europea agg.) were used. About 8-9% of the raw material was used in the final products. Furthermore, ingredients typical for smoothies such as banana, apple and coconut milk were used in the recipes.  In a hedonic evaluation with 26 participants, the attributes overall liking, colour, texture, taste as well as the flavours sweet, sour and salty were asked. The product with trident as an ingredient was rated best in the attributes of overall appeal and taste. The attributes sweet, sour and salty were largely rated as "formed just right". Unfortunately, the smoothie with beach aster was not convincing in terms of taste and should be improved. Despite the very salty and special taste of seaweed, the developed smoothie with seaweed scores very well in terms of taste, but should be improved in terms of texture.

The following results were achieved: