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Cactaceae and Asphodelaceae are native desert plants known for their high mucilage content, which is a polysaccharide of growing interest in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, powdered mucilage was obtained from cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) and aloe vera (AV) leaves, and their molecular, morphological, and thermal properties were investigated and compared. Additionally, their dietary fiber content was determined. Three-dimensional molecular models were calculated for both mucilages using ab initio methods. Vibrational spectra (FTIR and Raman) revealed intramolecular interactions and functional groups that were specified with the help of theoretical ab initio and semi-empirical calculations. SEM micrographs measured at magnifications of 500× and 2000× demonstrated significantly different superficial and internal morphologies between these two mucilages. Thermal analysis using DSC/TGA demonstrated superior thermal stability for the OFI mucilage. The dietary fiber content in OFI mucilage was more than double that of AV mucilage. Our results show that both dehydrated mucilages present adequate thermal and nutritional properties to be used as functional ingredients in industrial formulations; however, OFI mucilage exhibited better physicochemical and functional characteristics than AV mucilage as a raw material.

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In this work, the capacity of the mucilage extracted from the cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) and aloe vera (AV) leaves as wall material in the microencapsulation of pink guava carotenoids using spray-drying was studied. The stability of the encapsulated carotenoids was quantified using UV–vis and HPLC/MS techniques. Likewise, the antioxidant activity (TEAC), color (CIELab), structural (FTIR) and microstructural (SEM and particle size) properties, as well as the total dietary content, of both types of mucilage microcapsules were determined. Our results show that the use of AV mucilage, compared to OFI mucilage, increased both the retention of β-carotene and the antioxidant capacity of the carotenoid microcapsules by around 14%, as well as the total carotenoid content (TCC) by around 26%, and also favors the formation of spherical-type particles (Ø ≅ 26 µm) without the apparent damage of a more uniform size and with an attractive red-yellow hue. This type of microcapsules is proposed as a convenient alternative means to incorporate guava carotenoids, a natural colorant with a high antioxidant capacity, and dietary fiber content in the manufacture of functional products, which is a topic of interest for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.