Antioxidant properties of fresh and processed cactus pear cladodes from selected Opuntia ficus-indica and O. robusta cultivars

If the cactus plant could find applications in the food industry, other than that of fresh fruit, by means of preserving the cladodes, a larger market may emerge, thus making it an economically more viable crop. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the processing of cladodes into different preserved food products and to study the processed products' antioxidant content and -capacity compared to the fresh cladodes. All cultivars demonstrated high antioxidant capacities and consequently, the cladodes of any cultivar could be considered as suitable for processing or preserved to produce healthy products. Processing had a greater influence on the antioxidant content of cactus cladode products than the cultivar. Dried products were the best in terms of antioxidant content and -capacity.