Edible flowers: A review of the nutritional, antioxidant, antimicrobial properties and effects on human health

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis Volume 60, July 2017, Pages 38-50 Journal of Food Composition and Analysis Review Luana Fernandesa. Susana Casalb. josé Alberto Pereiraa. Jorge A. Saraivac. a Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO)/School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Stª Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal b LAQV@REQUIMTE/Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Porto University, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal c Organic Chemistry, Natural and Agrifood Products (QOPNA) – Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal Received 31 January 2017, Revised 29 March 2017, Accepted 29 March 2017, Available online 31 March 2017. crossmark-logo Show less https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2017.03.017Get rights and content Highlights • The present review covers over than 100 latest studies on edible flowers (EF). • Nutritional, antioxidant, antimicrobial properties and health effects of EF are overviewed. • The properties of more than 25 flowers are discussed. • Some EF have minerals and antioxidants important to human health. • These results can give valuable information to consumers and flowers’ producers. Abstract Edible flowers have been traditionally used for human consumption in various cultures. They improve the appearance, taste and aesthetic value of food, aspects that consumers appreciate, justifying the increasing trend of fresh top quality flowers’ sales worldwide. However, consumers also demand foods with beneficial health properties, in addition to the nutrients they contain, looking for functional qualities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. This review summarizes the data of more than 100 studies performed until now on edible flowers, focusing on nutritional, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, as well as health effects. This review provides valuable information on edible flowers in order to better characterize them and to increase their popularization among the food industry and consumers. Keywords Edible flowersBrassica oleraceaViola × wittrockianaRose spp.Food composition dataFood analysisAntioxidant and antimicrobial propertiesMineralsPhenolic acidsFlavonoids