Abstract
Background Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), called Barbary fig, is a cultivated species springing from family Cactaceae. It is native to Mexico and has been naturalized in other continents, especially the Mediterranean countries (North Africa). The aim of the study was to investigate the physical, physicochemical, and biochemical criteria of peels of three Moroccan prickly pear varieties (Aakria, Derbana, and Mles) growing in the Rhamna regions (dry area). Material and Methods Both physicochemical characteristics (humidity, water activity, Brix, ash content, pH, and total titratable acidity) and biochemical characteristics (total carotenoid content, betalain content, total polyphenolic content, and ascorbic acid content) were were studied according to previously reported methods. Results Regarding the physiochemical criteria, the moisture of the fresh peels of studied varieties ranged from 81.59 ± 0.02 to 83.47 ± 0.02%. The water activity (aw) ranged from 0.862 ± 0.001 to 0.872 ± 0.001. The values of Brix varied from 14.69 ± 0.05° Bx to 15.80 ± 0.03° Bx. pH values varied from 5.13 ± 0.01 to 5.32. The total titratable acidity values ranged from 0.130 ± 0.008 to 0.196 ± 0.014 g of citric acid/100 g of FM (fresh matter). The ash content values ranged from 8.92 ± 0.10 to 11.04 ± 0.06 g/100 g of FM. Regarding the biochemical criteria, the total carotenoid content ranged from 2.29 ± 0.01 to 2.87 ± 0.01 μg/g of FM. The total betalain content ranged from 6213.46 ± 58.86 to 8487.19 ± 51.71 μg/100 g of FM. The total polyphenolic content varied from 160 ± 3.55 to 243.79 ± 5.55 mg GA E/100 g of FM. The ascorbic content ranged from 58.21 ± 0.24 to 74.72 ± 0.17 mg/100 g of FM. Conclusion The findings of physicochemical and biochemical criteria of the investigated varieties growing in Moroccan drylands showed promising results in terms of studied parameters.
Highlights
Morocco is one of the several countries that have been subjected for many years to severe drought with adverse consequences on agriculture and general economic activities of the country
Drought has become one of the biggest challenges that a ect negatively sustainable crop production. Climate change such as deserti cation is the major challenge faced by Moroccan zone where the rural landscape is most heavily a ected. erefore, the crops which can resist to such hard conditions like, drought, high temperatures, and low soils need more emphasis
E current study was deeply assessing the physical, physicochemical, and biochemical characteristics of three Moroccan perkily pear verities growing in the Rhamna regions under hard ecological conditions
Summary
Pear (Opuntia spp.), called Barbary fig, is a cultivated species springing from family Cactaceae. E aim of the study was to investigate the physical, physicochemical, and biochemical criteria of peels of three Moroccan prickly pear varieties (Aakria, Derbana, and Mles) growing in the Rhamna regions (dry area). Both physicochemical characteristics (humidity, water activity, Brix, ash content, pH, and total titratable acidity) and biochemical characteristics (total carotenoid content, betalain content, total polyphenolic content, and ascorbic acid content) were were studied according to previously reported methods. The moisture of the fresh peels of studied varieties ranged from 81.59 ± 0.02 to 83.47 ± 0.02%. The total carotenoid content ranged from 2.29 ± 0.01 to 2.87 ± 0.01 μg/g of FM. E findings of physicochemical and biochemical criteria of the investigated varieties growing in Moroccan drylands showed promising results in terms of studied parameters Conclusion. e findings of physicochemical and biochemical criteria of the investigated varieties growing in Moroccan drylands showed promising results in terms of studied parameters
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