We’re excited to share our latest publication, developed in alignment with SUSTAIN Action’s objectives and authored by its Working Group 2 members, Giulia Atzori, Pedro Garcia Caparros, Antonella Castagna, Luisa Custódio, Valentina Lazazzara, Claus Krogh Madsen, Felicia Menicucci, Maria João Rodrigues, Katalin Solymosi, and Jose Ramon Acosta Motos, as part of Deliverable D2.2.

This open-access article, entitled “Salt-induced nutritional and metabolic shifts in halophytes: implications for food security,” published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture by John Wiley & Sons, explores how halophytes can play a key role in building climate-resilient and sustainable food systems in response to increasing soil salinization and global food security challenges.

Key insights:

• Halophytes adapt to saline soils by altering their mineral composition and secondary metabolites, improving nutritional quality.
  
• They produce bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer potential.
  
• The review discusses both opportunities and risks of using halophytes as food sources, including possible heavy-metal accumulation and anti-nutrient content.
  
• Integrating halophytes into agroecosystems promotes sustainable use of salt-affected land, fully aligning with SUSTAIN’s mission to advance climate-smart, agroecological innovations.
  

This work demonstrates how SUSTAIN is facilitating innovation and networking at the intersection of plant science, nutrition, and sustainability — helping shape a more resilient and sustainable food future for Europe.
Read the full article here: https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.70212?af=R