Ugur Cakilcioglu
Munzur University, Turkey
Title: Nutritional value and nitrate content in some wild food plants for human consumption
Biography
Biography: Ugur Cakilcioglu
Abstract
The aim this study was to identify some edible wild plants consumed and to determine their nitrate and nutritional value. Six edible wild plant species: Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., Malva neglecta Wallr., Portulaca oleracea L., Rheum ribes L., Rosa canina L., Urtica dioica L. were collected using appropriate methods. Herbariums of these plants were prepared and the plants were nomenclatured. Although nitrate content of various plants found in Turkey have been analyzed in some previous literature studies, only a limited number of studies have addressed nitrate content of edible wild plants that are widely consumed. Nitrate content in the plants was detected on the basis of the diazo compound measurement using spectrophotometric method. Analyses made in the scope of the present study indicated that nitrate content of the dry plant matter varied from 478.17-921.05 mg/kg range and the nitrate content of the dry matter to be from 6.73%-14.74% range. Portulaca oleracea L. was found to have the highest nitrate content (6560.95 mg/kg), while Rheum ribes L. with the lowest nitrate content (43.42 mg/kg). In this study, plants were also analyzed for their medicinal uses. Mineral content was substantially higher in wild food plants than in cultivated vegetables.