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Functional beverages market requires conservation methods where bioactive compounds could persist for their bioavailability. The aim of this work was determined the extraction yield, antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of a cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) juice blended using different solvent to extraction after pasteurization (PAST) or thermoultrasonication (TUS) treatment. The best properties were exhibited by TUS juice, showing 575.8 ± 11.1 mg GAE·L-1 for total phenolic, and 392.78 ± 4.1 mg BE·L-1 for pigment content. Which resulted in a greater antioxidant activity bioaccessible (87% DPPH; 38% ABTS). The highest antioxidant activity was found in the TUS methanolic extraction, exhibiting higher bioaccessibility than the juice (78% ABTS; 179% DPPH). It can be concluded that thermoultrasonication and methanolic extraction of a cactus pear juice blend allows a higher amount of antioxidant compounds to be bioavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare drinkable yogurts added with purple cactus pear powder without ultrasonication (WY) and ultrasonicated (UY); with formulated yogurt with synthetic dyes (DY) and commercial saborized yogurt evaluating pH, titratable acidity, water holding capacity, viscosity, color, microbiology and in vitro bioaccessibility of antioxidants. The WY and UY showed an increase in functional properties, high ascorbic acid, and phenolic content (129.83 and 57.27 mg AAE/100 ml; 26.64 and 22.87 mg GAE/100 ml, respectively). The UY increased the antioxidant activity measured by ABTS (6.41 ± 0.11 mg VCEAC/100 ml) and DPPH (38.38 ± 0.92 µM TE/100 ml) in comparison to WY. After bioaccessibility assay, the UY had high phenolic content and antioxidant activity by ABTS, just below DY which presented the major content with respect to the other samples. The ultrasonicated purple cactus pear powder addition could be an alternative to drinkable yogurt with bioaccessible antioxidants. Practical applications: The benefits of yogurt make it a popular food with high consumption by its nutritional aspect, mainly if the product has natural additives that provide antioxidant compounds related to beneficial health effects, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and among others. The different raw matter of purple cactus pear juice powder could provide an intense color as a natural additive to dairy products such as yogurt, which can be an alternative to synthetic additives since they play an important role in the quality of the product and consumer acceptance. In addition, the yogurt added with purple cactus pear juice powder also provides antioxidant content and high bioaccessibility, with light changes in their physicochemical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: In this paper we developed tablets made from Opuntia ficus-indica residues, which can be used as a product of interest for the food supplement industry. Recently, industry has been focusing on the development of new products made from food by-products in order to reduce and take advantage of food wastes. The objective of this study was to evaluate tablet formulations developed by mixing two commercial excipients, microcrystalline cellulose (M) and α-lactose-monohydrate (L), added with powder from residues (mesocarp and pericarp) of green and red (G and R) cactus pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill), having the following formulations: green with microcrystalline cellulose (GM), green with lactose (GL), red with microcrystalline cellulose (RM), and red with lactose (RL). The results showed lower disintegration times for the tablets with microcrystalline cellulose. The fiber functional properties presented good values for lipid and water holding capacity. There was a higher total phenolic content (TPC) in formulations with green cactus pear residue powder with microcrystalline cellulose and lactose (GM and GL, respectively), but the DPPH and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) values were higher in the formulations with red cactus pear residues (RM and RL), while ABTS values were similar among all formulations. In conclusion, tablets made from Opuntia residues are proposed as a product of interest for the food supplement industry because of the good quality parameters and the functional and antioxidant properties that they provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to determine the optimal ultrasound conditions (amplitude level and time) for the extraction of cactus pear seed oilwith the highest antioxidant activity using a closed system. Seed oilwas analyzed for yield, antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH, and antimicrobial activity. Conventional extraction methods were assessed for comparison. Amplitude level significantly affected antioxidant activity in linear terms (p < 0.0001 DPPH and p < 0.001 ABTS, resp.) so, at lower amplitudes, the higher antioxidant activity was achieved. The optimum ultrasound extraction conditions were of 78% amplitude for 10 min and yielded antioxidant activity values of 66.25mg AAE/100 g and 289 κmol TE/100 g for ABTS and DPPH, respectively. Compared with conventional extraction methods, ultrasound exhibited lower oil yield and antioxidant activity but had the potential to achieve comparable results ifmultiple ultrasound extractions are performed in the time needed by conventional methods. Seed oils showed similar antimicrobial activity despite the extraction method and were more effective against Escherichia coli. The results demonstrated that ultrasound can be an alternative extraction method of seed oils from fruits such as cactus pear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed oils from two Mexican varieties of cactus pear (green: Opuntia albicarpa and red: Opuntia ficus indica) were extracted with different solvents (hexane, ethanol, and ethyl acetate) to evaluate their antioxidant activity. The seed oil with higher antioxidant activity was selected to evaluate antimicrobial activity. The fatty acid profilewas analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Oil fromgreen cactus pear seeds obtained with ethanol and ethyl acetate exhibited higher antioxidant activity (p < 0.05) of 323 and 316 κmol TE/20mg (p < 0.05), respectively, compared to red cactus pear seed oil (≈274 and 247κmol TE/20mg with ethyl acetate and ethanol, resp.). The oil obtained with ethanol and higher antioxidant activity was used to determine the antimicrobial activity. Both cactus pear oils produced a microbial inhibition zone in most of the microorganisms evaluated, particularly Saccharomyces cerevisiae which had similar diameter (38-40mm). The oil fatty acids profiles of both varieties were similar and exhibited a high content of linoleic acid, while two fatty acids (linolenic and behenic) found in red cactus pear were not observed in the green variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in color, betalain content, browning index, viscosity, physical stability, microbiological growth, antioxidant content and antioxidant activity of purple cactus pear juice during storage after thermoultrasonication at 80% amplitude level for 15 and 25 min in comparison with pasteurized juice. Thermoultrasound treatment for 25 min increased color stability and viscosity compared to treatment for 15 min (6.83 and 6.72 MPa, respectively), but this last parameter was significantly lower ( p < 0.05) compared to the control and pasteurized juices (22.47 and 26.32 MPa, respectively). Experimental treatment reduced significantly ( p < 0.05) sediment solids in juices. Total plate counts decreased from the first day of storage exhibiting values of 1.38 and 1.43 log CFU/mL, for 15 and 25 min treatment, respectively. Compared to the control, both treatments reduced enterobacteria counts (1.54 log CFU/mL), and compared to pasteurized juice decreased pectinmethylesterase activity (3.76 and 3.82 UPE/mL), maintained high values of ascorbic acid (252.05 and 257.18 mg AA/L) and antioxidant activity (by ABTS: 124.8 and 115.6 mg VCEAC/100 mL; and DPPH: 3114.2 and 2757.1 μmol TE/L). During storage thermoultrasonicated juices had a minimum increase in pectinmethylesterase activity (from day 14), and exhibited similar total plate counts to pasteurized juice. An increase of phenolic content was observed after 14 days of storage, particularly for treatment at 80%, 25 min, and an increase in antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH) by the end of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high consumption of maize tortillas in Mexico has prompted the widespread use of instant maize flours in the food industry, lowering the fibre and calcium contents in tortillas compared to the traditional nixtamal process. The inclusion of food sources such as cladodes could improve the nutritional value of maize tortillas. The aim of this study was to assess the physicochemical (rheology, puffing, rollability, and colour) and nutritional (chemical composition and in vitro intestinal bioaccessibility of calcium) parameters of maize tortillas made from commercial flour, substituted with 3% and 6% cladode flour. Partial substitution of maize flour with dried cladodes proved to be a good alternative to conventional tortillas both from a sensorial and a physical point of view. An improved rheological behaviour was observed in the dough, in addition to good puffing and rollability characteristics and an attractive colour of maize tortillas. The substitution of 6% maize flour with dried cladodes increased soluble fibre and calcium contents, and improved calcium intestinal absorption (bioaccessibility 48%), giving a value closer to that of traditional nixtamal maize tortillas. The introduction of cladode-supplemented instant maize flours on the market could help improve the fibre and calcium intake –and thus the health status– of the Mexican population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The young stems of Opuntia spp., known as cladodes are widely consumed in Mexico, and appreciated for their high content of fiber and beneficial effects in the metabolism of glucose. Since, boiling process is often applied to these vegetables, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of this process on the chemical composition, antioxidant capacity and physicochemical properties of two cladode cultivars. The components most affected were the soluble compounds (sugars, minerals, vitamin C and phenolics), while proteins, lipids and fiber showed a high retention. The losses of phytochemicals were related to the decrease of the antioxidant capacity. Cladodes presented good hydration properties inducing a non-Newtonian, pseudoplastic and thixotropic behavior in suspension. Heat treatment reduced the viscosity and gel consistency and these changes affected the physiological properties related to capacity of cladodes to hold glucose and control the glycemic response. The intake of these compounds and the estimation of some properties may be overestimated when data of raw sources are used. Further research to determine boiling conditions to minimize the changes on composition of these vegetables is necessary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit is a berry with a tasty pulp full of seeds that constitutes about 10–15% of the edible pulp. In Mexico, cactus pear is mainly consumed fresh, but also has the potential to be processed in other products such as juice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different ultrasound conditions at amplitude levels ranging (40% and 60% for 10, 15, 25min; 80% for 3, 5, 8, 10, 15 and 25min) on the characteristics of purple cactus pear juice. The evaluated parameters were related with the quality (stability, °Brix, pH), microbial growth, total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH and % chelating activity) of purple cactus pear juices. The ultrasound treatment for time period of 15 and 25min significantly reduced the microbial count in 15 and 25min, without affecting the juice quality and its antioxidant properties. Juice treated at 80% of amplitude level showed an increased of antioxidant compounds. Our results demonstrated that sonication is a suitable technique for cactus pear processing. This technology allows the achievement of juice safety and quality standards without compromising the retention of antioxidant compounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]