Chapter 44 - Prickly pear

Abstract

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly interested in foods that are linked with health benefits, in addition to their nutritional composition. Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) is native to Mexico, but nowadays it is widely spread among other regions of the world, such as Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean basin, due to its pleasant organoleptic features. Prickly pear belongs to the Cactaceae family, which includes over 1500 species of cacti. Moreover, it is gaining popularity among consumers due to the presence of bioactive compounds, namely polyphenols, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, and sterols that are associated with relevant functional and biological activities, such as antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic properties, among others. In addition, this plant can also be used as a fence in gardens and fields and is useful in helping to combat desertification as it grows in arid and semiarid regions. Nowadays, it is widely used to manufacture food products, such as juices and jams, but it is also consumed as a fruit. Prickly pear is a promising source of phytochemicals, which can be useful for food, or in the cosmetics or pharmaceutical industries to develop new products with health-promoting properties, namely, functional foods, natural additives, or dietary supplements.