Characterization of red prickly pear peel (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) and its mucilage obtained by traditional and novel methodologies

Controlled Mass Rearing of Cochineal Insect (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) Using Two Laboratory-Scale Production Systems in Peru

“…Total dissolved solids (355 ± 5.66 ppm) and pH (3.65 ± 0.02) values of O. ficus cladode mucilage ( Table 2 ) and aluminium, calcium, and magnesium content in the microstructure of skin ( Fig. 4 ) and mucilage ( Table 2 ) obtained from our study are in accordance to that reported by Rykaczewski et al (2016) , Barazarte et al (2017) and Hernández-Carranza et al (2019) provided a nutritionally well-balanced diet in the modified synthetic medium of Hendrickson and Merkle (2014) used to build their aluminum complex carmine, precursor of the anthraquinone carminic acid that would have metabolized our Peruvian cochineal insect during their total life cycle evidenced by a typical and intense red colour in the adult females bodies collected.…”

“…Table 2 shows no significant differences among physical and chemical properties of the mucilage and indicate a normal pH acid value (3.65 ± 0.02) and a characteristic TTA expressed by 0.84 ± 0.03 g MA/100 ml and a TDS value of 355 ± 5.66 ppm according with the literature ( Hernández-Carranza et al 2019 ); ORP and G values (+509 ± 1.45 mV and 8.16 ± 0.21 mS/cm, respectively) showing the succulent and fluid nature of the plant material, along to high ionic and nonionic contents ( de Andrade Vieira 2021 , Barazarte et al 2017 , Terán et al 2015 , Falcão et al 2013 ), and provide a good capacity for nutritional functional compounds exchange and mobility for the development and mass-rearing of the cochineal insect.…”

“…An uninfested stem was washed, cut, and peeled to produce two fractions: skin and flesh. The first fraction was subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine its structural morphology and surface microstructure using a scanning electron microscope VEGA II LSH; the second fraction was homogenised in order to determine its physical and chemical properties including pH, total titratable acidity (TTA) expressed as a percentage of malic acid (MA), conductivity (G, mS/cm), total dissolved solids (TDS, ppm), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP, mV), and heavy metals, as described by Terán et al (2015) and Hernández-Carranza et al (2019) . Finally, the second fraction was separated in a solid and liquid fraction for use as precursors of the mucilage (liquid phase) and pulp solids (solid phase).…”

Secondary Metabolites of Edible Cacti (Cactaceae) from the South American Andes

“…Likewise, these authors report that the peel and the seeds contain cellulose (71.4% and 83.23% of the total fiber). This is in line with the study conducted by Hernández-Carranza et al [48] using red prickly pear peel, in which cellulose (34.64% dry weight) predominated in the total dietary fiber.…”

“…However, prickly pear is also cultivated in tropical and subtropical America and Mediterranean countries [46,47]. Currently, Mexico is the largest producer of prickly pears in the world, with a production of 356 thousand tons/year [48]. The largest production areas are Zacatecas, Puebla, and Hidalgo, where the harvest takes place from July to September [49].…”