Characterization and quantification of individual betalain and phenolic compounds in Mexican and Spanish prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill) tissues: A comparative study

Abstract

Betalain and phenolic profiles of whole fruit, pulp and peel of 6 Mexican and Spanish prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill.) cultivars were characterized and quantified using a single extraction and HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF protocol. A total of 14 betalains were detected, where betanin and indicaxanthin were the most abundant. The purple cultivars Spanish Morada and Mexican Pelota showed the highest concentration of betacyanins (1,372-2176 μg/g dry whole fruit), whereas the greatest betaxanthin values were obtained in red Spanish Sanguinos and yellow Mexican Diamante cultivars (435–488 μg/g dry whole fruit). The detected 17 phenolics corresponded mostly to flavonoid (isorhamnetin, quercetin and kaempferol) glycosides and a phenolic acid, piscidic acid. The highest phenolic content was found in Spanish Morada cultivar (49,012 μg/g dry peel). The proposed HPLC methodology is a useful tool for the simultaneous and accurate analyses of betalains and phenolic compounds in O. ficus-indica fruit tissues.