Physico-Chemical Changes In Cladodes (Nopalitos) From Cultivated And Wild Cacti (Opuntia spp.)

• Published in: Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht) 2006-09, Vol.61 (3), p.115-119
• Main Authors: BETANCOURT-DOMÍNGUEZ, M. A, HERNÁNDEZ-PÉREZ, T, GARCÍA-SAUCEDO, P, CRUZ-HERNÁNDEZ, A, PAREDES-LÓPEZ, O
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acidity; Agriculture - methods; beta Carotene - analysis; beta-carotene; Biological and medical sciences; Citric Acid - analysis; cultivars; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; indigenous species; lutein; Lutein - analysis; nutrient content; Nutritive Value; Opuntia; Opuntia - chemistry; Opuntia - physiology; physicochemical properties; plant extracts; Solubility; soluble solids; stems; texture; Water - metabolism; water content; wild plants
• ISSN: 0921-9668; 1573-9104
• DOI: 10.1007/s11130-006-0008-6

Physico-chemical and nutritional composition from four different nopalitos (young cladodes from cacti): Blanco sin Espinas, Blanco con Espinas, Verde Valtierrilla (cultivated materials) and a wild material from the central region of México were studied at different sizes of harvesting. The first three are commercial crops. None of the tested materials exhibited superior characteristics in all of the evaluated parameters in relation to each one of them. In various cases properties of the wild crop were comparable, if not superior, to commercial ones. Some important changes were observed in total soluble solids, water content, texture, acidity and pH as affected by size of cladode and specific crop. Most cladode samples appear to be a good source of β-carotene and lutein. The presence of these compounds is important for human nutraceutical purposes.