Authors:
Patricia Tarkanyi, Mihaela Lăcătuș, Ersilia Alexa, Despina-Maria Bordean
Volume 30, Issue 4;
Pages: 335-342; 2024
ISSN: 2069-0053 (print), Agroprint;
ISSN (online): 2068-9551
Abstract
Urtica dioica L., popularly known as stinging nettle, is a versatile plant and has been used as a wild herb for centuries. Due to its ability to accumulate minerals from the soil, nettle can significantly contribute to improving the nutritional profile of foods, being a valuable natural source of minerals that support metabolism, and bone health. Stinging nettle can be used also as a bioindicator of soil quality, which might contribute to the development of safe and nutritious food products relevant to future nutrition and sustainable food security. The bioaccumulation factor is an essential key indicator with double meaning, an environment quality indicator as well as a potential plant nutritional marker. First of all, it is an environmental quality factor because it reflects the health and fertility of the soil, the probability of contamination with various pollutants, and secondly, it offers essential information about the nutritional potential of plants. The study aims to evaluate the bioaccumulation factor of stinging nettle plants as a role of food engineering to refine growing and processing techniques, to enhance the levels of important minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium in food products. The stinging nettles and soil samples were collected from five different areas in Romania (Timis County-Timisoara, Bazos; Hunedoara County-Vadu-Dobrii; Gorj County-Turcinesti). All these were dehydrated and then geared up for X-ray fluorescence. K>Ca>Cu>Mo>Zr>Zn shows the rank of the maximum average values of bioaccumulation factors, proving the high accumulation potential of nettles.
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