Removal of Opuntia thorns by pulsed laser ablation: Bromatological and microbiological analysis

The removal of thorns for human cactus consumption can be performed by applying laser pulses to the areolas. This technique has proven advantageous for increasing the shelf-life of the product and reducing losses of useful product volume. This work presents the bromatological and microbiological analysis of the nopal before and after de-thorning and an analysis of the morphology of the irradiated area by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The action of the laser produced a dehydrated layer 1 mm below the surface, which sealed the irradiated area after the removal of the thorn. A decrease in aerobic mesophiles, molds, yeasts, and total coliforms was observed, indicating that the laser process was favorable for the quality of this food product. No differences in mineral composition before and after laser irradiation were detected by bromatological analysis.