Abstract
Red pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus, red pulp with pink peel), also known as dragon fruit, is a well-known species of pitaya fruit. Pitaya seeds and peels have been reported to exhibit higher concentrations of total polyphenols, beta-cyanins and amino acid than pulp, while anthocyanins (i.e., cyanidin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside and pelargonidin 3-glucoside) were only detected in the pulp extracts. Beta-cyanins, phenolics and flavonoids were found to increase gradually during fruit maturation and pigmentation appeared earlier in the pulp than peel. The phytochemicals were extracted and purified by various techniques and broadly used as natural, low-cost, and beneficial healthy compounds in foods, including bakery, wine, dairy, meat and confectionery products. These bioactive components also exhibit regulative influences on the human gut microbiota, glycaemic response, lipid accumulation, inflammation, growth of microbials and mutagenicity, but the mechanisms are yet to be understood. The objective of this study was to systematically summarise the effect of red pitaya’s maturation process on the nutritional profile and techno-functionality in a variety of food products. The findings of this review provide valuable suggestions for the red pitaya fruit processing industry, leading to novel formulations supported by molecular research.
Highlights
Pitahaya, or the pitaya fruit, is a well-known member of the Cactaceae family and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas [1]
Pitaya fruit is classified based on the colour of pulp and peel, namely white-pulp with pink peel pitaya (Hylocereus undatus), red-pulp with pink peel pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and white-pulp with yellow skin (Hylocereus megulanthus) [2]
This review summarises the polyphenol and polysaccharide profiles in red pitaya, extraction techniques, pitaya fruit maturation, glycaemic modulation, and utilisation in food products
Summary
The pitaya fruit, is a well-known member of the Cactaceae family and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas [1]. Pitaya fruit is classified based on the colour of pulp and peel, namely white-pulp with pink peel pitaya (Hylocereus undatus), red-pulp with pink peel pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and white-pulp with yellow skin (Hylocereus megulanthus) [2]. Et al [3] reported that pitaya fruit is a good source of vitamins, dietary fibre, betacyanin, organic acids, amino acids and sugars. The utilisation of betacyanin (natural colourants) and pectin from pitaya fruit in food products has been studied. Evidence has reported that beta-cyanins (a type of betalains) derived from red pitaya fruit exhibit antidiabetic effects and modulate glycaemic response [4,5,6]. The high number of nutritional compounds in pitaya fruit has created interest in the food industry which regards to their use as economic, environmentally friendly, plant-based and clean-label ingredients [7]. Especially linoleic acid, extracted from pitaya seeds have been reported to have laxative activity on gastroenteritis [11]
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