ReviewImpact of conventional and non-conventional processing on prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) and their derived products: From preservation of beverages to valorization of by-products

- Opuntia fruits are functional products offering numerous health benefits.
- During Opuntia processing a large amount of waste and by-products are generated.
- HPP and PEF are useful tools to extend Opuntia beverages shelf-life.
- Supercritical CO2 extraction is an effective tool to extract oils from Opuntia.

BackgroundIn recent years, both food researchers and food industry have shown growing interest in Opuntia fruits, as they constitute a good source of phytochemicals such as phenolics, vitamin C, vitamin E, polysaccharides and betalains. Many of these compounds have shown antioxidant, anti-cancer, antiatherosclerotic and/or hepatoprotective properties. Moreover, the fruit is also a source of dietary fibers, which promote bowel transit, thus preventing constipation.Scope and approachDue to these properties, Opuntia fruits are considered as functional products offering numerous health benefits when are consumed as fresh or processed product. However, these compounds can lose their properties and could be transformed into antinutrients depending on processing conditions. Therefore, there is a dire need for investigating the effect of processing on bioactive compounds of Opuntia Spp. On the other hand, during Opuntia fruit processing, a large amount of waste and by-products are generated including peel, pulp and seed, which are a great source of high-added value compounds. Nowadays, extraction of valuable compounds from Opuntia by-products is drawing more and more attention, making it on the verge of commercialization.Key findings and conclusionsThe processing and preservation techniques strongly influence the stability of phytochemicals present in Opuntia fruits and their derived products. The available reports suggest that, along with conventional methods, novel non-thermal technologies are efficient to recover high-added value compounds from Opuntia fruit by-products/waste. Overall, high pressure processing and pulsed electric field technology have emerged as promising methods to extend Opuntia beverages shelf-life, and supercritical CO2 extraction as an effective tool to extract oils.