Influence of soil salinity on the protein and fatty acid composition of the edible halophyte Halimione portulacoides

•Fatty acid content of H. portulacoides leaves are well suited to human consumption.•External salinity reduces the leaf protein content.•Amino acid profile of leaves was in accordance with FAO recommendations.•H. portulacoides should be considered a promising food crop for saline agriculture. As the worldwide population continues to rise, so does global demand for agricultural production. This scenario of uncertain food supply is exacerbated by the high salinization of soils worldwide, a serious constraint to crop productivity. In this context, there is an increasing need for alternative sustainable crops. Halophytes are thought to be a promising alternative food source due to their natural ability to grow in saline soils and their multiple potential uses in the food industry. In this study, the protein and fatty acid content of the halophyte Halimione (Atriplex) portulacoides (L.) was studied in different saline conditions. Although more studies are needed to explore the nutritional properties of H. portulacoides, the data presented here suggest that this halophyte should be considered as a promising food crop for saline agriculture.