IMIDA’s study represents a major innovation in the regional agri-food field, by diversifying, revaluing and increasing the use of these crops
The variety selection of savory seeds, lavender and lavandin that are grown in the Region of Murcia are an important source of Omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial to health. Likewise, rosemary and Spanish sage seeds are postulated as an important source of Omega-6 fatty acids.
These are the results of the study carried out by the team of Cultivos de Secano para el Desarrollo Rural of the Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario, IMIDA, member of AgritechMurcia
The study on the yield and the composition of the oils extracted from the seeds of aromatic plants traditionally cultivated in the Region of Murcia, which can be a major innovation in the regional agri-food field, by diversify, revalue and increase the use of these crops, that have a large potential to be introduced into human food as functional ingredients.
The results show that the seeds of savory, lavender and lavender have a yield of production exceeding those obtained in chia seeds or oil of
coriander seeds, which were marketed as food ingredients approved by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) in 2009 and 2013 respectively.
This discovery implies the opening of a new field of research in the world of aromatic-medicinal plants, whose cultivation area exceeds 2,000 hectares in the Region of Murcia, and also represents a potential source of production of seeds rich in these essential polyunsaturated fatty acids.
This study, financed by the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA), is part of the project entitled “Cultivation and clonal selection of elite plants of sage, rosemary, marjoram and lavender for innovative application in the field of health and human nutrition”.
