Opuntia Ficus-indica Mucilage Research Articles

The influence of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage edible coating on the quality of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit slices

The aim of this work was to study the effect of mucilage edible coating extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) on the quality and shelf life maintenance of packaged kiwifruit slices. OFI mucilage alone or added with TWEEN® 20 were applied on kiwifruit fresh cut surfaces. After treatments, kiwifruit samples were stored under passive atmosphere at 5±1°C for 3, 5, 7 and 12days. At each storage period, visual quality and flavor score, pectin content, ascorbic acid and the microbiological characteristics were measured together with CO2 and O2 content in the packages. Kiwifruit slices coated only with mucilage or with mucilage plus Tween 20, showed a significant higher firmness and a lower weight loss than untreated slices, until 5 d of shelf life. No further differences in weight loss occurred after 7d of shelf life, while slices treated only with mucilage retained the highest firmness until the end of the shelf life period (12d). OFI mucilage alone had significant beneficial effects on the visual and flavor score of the kiwifruit slices, throughout the shelf life period. The treatment with Tween 20 did not affect the flavor of the kiwifruit slices, compared with untreated fruit. Although mucilage and partly tween 20 addition increased microbial growth, especially of yeasts, their levels were still below the threshold for yeast spoilage at the end of the monitoring period. Hence, the results showed that mucilage coating applied to kiwifruit minimally processed fruit improved the quality of stored fresh-cut kiwifruits.

The inhibitive properties of Nopal slime on the corrosion of steel in chloride-contaminated mortar

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine if a type of cactus mucilage, Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI), may act as a corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in cement-based materials (mortar) exposed to chloride-laden environment. Design/methodology/approach – Mortar prisms, reinforced with carbon steel rods, were immersed in sodium chloride (NaCl) solution for five wet – dry cycles. The experimentation included electrochemical monitoring (corrosion potential, Ecorr, and polarization resistance, Rp) of carbon steel during the time of exposure until corrosion-induced cracking appeared at the mortar surface. Crack survey on the mortar prisms was performed. Carbon steel rods were retrieved from the mortar after crack survey and steel mass loss at the end of the experimental period was estimated. A comparison between the different mixtures was also performed. Findings – OFI mucilage did perform as a corrosion inhibitor of steel in chloride contaminated mortar. Research limitations/implications – The experimental program needs to be corroborated in concrete specimens with typical dimensions. The surface oxide/hydroxide formation of the carbon steel in contact with the OFI mucilage is still unknown; thus, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses are needed. Practical implications – OFI mucilage is a suitable natural product that can be used to increase durability of concrete structures not only in countries where OFI cactus is produced, but also in many other countries where this plant is considered a plague. Originality/value – The new information obtained from this paper is the innovative use of a by-product of this cactus plant for construction industry applications.

Cement-Based Materials Enhanced Durability from Opuntia Ficus Indica Mucilage Additions

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Use of the Cactus Cladodes Mucilage (Opuntia Ficus Indica) As an Eco-Friendly Flocculants: Process Development and Optimization using Stastical Analysis

The Opuntia ficus indica mucilage was an abundant and a low cost product. In the presentpaper, it was tested as an eco-friendly flocculants for textile waste water treatment. Its performance asflocculants in decolorization, COD removal and turbidity abatement was checked. The natural product wascharacterized using UV-Vis and Infra-Red spectroscopy. The study of the effect, followed by an optimizationand modeling analysis, of some experimental parameters on the coagulation-flocculation performance, usingcactus mucilage combined with aluminum sulfate (as a coagulant), showed that the best conditions for flocculationprocess were given for a pH equal to 7.25, flocculants dose of about 40 mg/L, flocculation mixing speed ofabout 30rpm and flocculation mixing time of about 11min. This gives a decolorization equal to 99.84%, CODremoval of about 88.76% and turbidity abatement of about 91.66%. The comparison between the flocculationperformance of commercial flocculants and the bio-flocculants agent exhibited that the latter has the highestpollution removal.

Mechanical production of pellets for the application of entomopathogenic nematodes: factors that determine survival time of Steinernema glaseri

Applications of infective juveniles (IJ) of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) formulated in pellets are still limited. This is principally due to limited advances in the technology of formulation. We aimed to develop a new method of mechanical formulation through material flow and to analyse its effect on the survival time of encapsulated EPN by varying the granular materials, the components of the aqueous suspension, the age of the nematodes and by applying a surface coating (C) to the pellet. Three-day-old and two-month-old Steinernema glaseri IJ were encapsulated with different proportions of diatomaceous earth (DE) and attapulgite clay (AC). The aqueous suspension containing the nematodes was prepared with double distilled water (DDW), varying proportions of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage (OM) or gelatin (GL), and a sunflower oil surface treatment. The pellets were stored at an average room temperature of 23 ± 6°C. The best results were obtained with the following proportions: 100DE:0AC and 50DE:50AC, using the OM suspension, three-day-old nematodes and a surface C, which resulted in an average of 14 days survival time. These results confirmed that the nematodes do not die during mechanical encapsulation and that the age of the IJ as well as the loss of moisture during storage at room temperature were the factors that decreased the survival of encapsulated EPN. It was concluded that it is necessary to use neonate IJ and to reduce the moisture transfer rate in the granular structure in order to delay the desiccation of the encapsulated nematodes.

Use of Prosopis laevigata Seed Gum and Opuntia ficus-indica Mucilage for the Treatment of Municipal Wastewaters by Coagulation-Flocculation

Prosopis laevigata and Opuntia ficus-indica grow in arid and semiarid regions of Mexico and other countries. Both produce biopolymers with interesting characteristics from the rheological point of view as well as because of their coagulating-flocculating capabilities. Prosopis produce galactomannans inside the endosperm, very similar to those found in guar, locust bean, and tara gums. Opuntia sp. produces mucilage that contains polygalacturonic acid and five neutral sugars. Prosopis seed gum has not been proposed to be used as coagulant-flocculant before. In the case of Opuntia mucilage, some authors have suggested its use in the treatment of waters, using either the mucilage or the whole cladode powder. The use of these products in the treatment of municipal or even industrial wastewaters could give rise to diverse benefits. From the environmental point of view, treated waters with neither Fe nor Al, nor synthetic polymers would be obtained (with less toxicity risk). Besides, the produced sludges would be smaller in amount, with better biodegradability, and lower metals content. From the economical point of view, the use of these biopolymers would give an added value to the Opuntia and Prosopis culture in Mexico, helping small communities to enhance their incomes by producing environmental-friendly products. This work shows that both Prosopis galactomannan and Opuntia mucilage can be used to treat municipal wastewaters with an initial organic charge of about 827 mg/L as COD by the coagulation-flocculation process, with COD removals for the mesquite seed gum of up to 90% (pH 10, dose of 75 mg/L) and of 60% (pH 7, doses of 50 and 150 mg/L). In the case of mucilage, 65% of the initial COD was removed at pH 10 (dose of 50 mg/L). These figures are very promising for the treatment of wastewaters, with environmental-friendly products.

Comparative Physico-Chemical Characterization of the Mucilages of Two Cactus Pears (<i>Opuntia</i> Spp.) Obtained from Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia

Cactus is a plant that naturally grows in tropical and semi-tropical regions of the world. The composition of this mucilage is believed to differ from species to species. Hence, comparative study was carried out on mucilages of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) and Opuntia stricta (OS) as regard to their physico-chemical properties and acute toxicity levels. The study indicated that solubility of the dry mucilages were comparable and increased as raise in temperature. However, at all temperature levels the swelling powers were significantly higher in mucilage of OS than that of OFI. At 100% RH the moisture sorption property of OFI (95.4%) was higher than that of OS (76.9%). The pH values of both mucilages at 12% dispersions were found to be 5.57 and 5.87 for OFI and OS, respectively. The conductivity at the same concentration, 12% (w/v), of OFI was 13.12 mS/cm while that of OS was 9.31 mS/cm. The apparent viscosities at 12% (w/v) were 9,017 mPas and 10,060 mPas for OFI and OS, respectively. The apparent viscosities of the dispersions decreased with increase in shear rates which rendered the dispersions a pseudoplastic flow. The surface tension of the aqueous dispersions of OFI (28.71 mN/M) decreased significantly as compared to that of OS (39.7 mN/M). The results of the study proved that the mucilage of OS was superior to OFI mucilage for use as food and pharmaceutical excipients. Moreover, both mucilages exhibited low acute toxicity levels.

Development and Characterization of Edible Films Based on Mucilage of Opuntia ficus‐indica (L.)

Mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) was extracted and characterized by its composition and molecular weight distribution. Mucilage film-forming dispersions were prepared under different pHs (3, 4, 5.6, 7, and 8) and calcium concentration (0% and 30% of CaCl(2), with respect to mucilage's weight), and their particle size determined. Mucilage films with and without calcium (MFCa and MF, respectively) were prepared. The effect of calcium and pH on mucilage films was evaluated determining thickness, color, water vapor permeability (WVP), tensile strength (TS), and percentage of elongation (%E). The average molecular weight of the different fractions of mucilage was: 3.4 x 10(6) (0.73%), 1 x 10(5) (1.46%), 1.1 x 10(3) (45.79%), and 2.4 x 10(2) Da (52.03%). Aqueous mucilage dispersions with no calcium presented particles with an average size d(0.5) of 15.4 microm, greater than the dispersions with calcium, 13.2 microm. MFCa films showed more thickness (0.13 mm) than the MF films (0.10 mm). The addition of calcium increased the WVP of the films from 109.94 to 130.45 gmm/m(2)dkPa. Calcium and pH affected the mechanical properties of the films; the largest TS was observed on MF films, whereas the highest %E was observed on MFCa films. The highest differences among MF and MFCa films were observed at pHs 5.6 and 7 for TS and at pHs 4 and 8 for %E. No effect of pH and calcium was observed on luminosity and hue angle. Chroma values were higher for MF when compared with MFCa, and increased as pH of the films increased. Practical Application: In this study mucilage from nopal was extracted and characterized by its ability to form edible films under different pHs, and with or without the addition of calcium. Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage had the ability to form edible films. In general, it can be considered that mucilage films without modification of pH and without the addition of calcium have the best water vapor barrier properties and tensile strength. Mucilage from nopal could represent a good option for the development of edible films in countries where nopal is highly produced at low cost, constituting a processing alternative for nopal.