Extraction and Physicochemical Characterization of Mucilage from Opuntia cochenillifera (L.) Miller

Abstract

The aim of this study was to extract mucilage from O. cochenillifera (L.) cacti and determine its functional and physicochemical properties. The best mucilage yield (31%) was obtained by nonthermal extraction with hydration. The mucilage has appreciable carbohydrate and protein contents. The phytochemical analysis shown the presence of alkaloids and terpenes/steroids. The Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectrum of the mucilage exhibits typical bands for carbohydrates as O–H, C–H, and –COO−. The mucilage demonstrated water- and oil-holding capacities of 2.78 g water/g dry mucilage and 1.80 g oil/g dry mucilage, respectively, these properties can have a positive effect on the texture of the products when used as a stabilizer. The mildly acidic pH (4.8–5) contributes to its emulsifying capacity. The presence of electrolytes in the mucilage can be of great value in flocculation processes. The mucilage forms low viscosity solutions in the same manner as gum Arabic. Finally, its potential for use as a textile dye remover was evaluated, achieving a 70% removal rate from aqueous solutions. The prepared mucilage exhibits properties that recommend it as a natural material that can be used as an additive in the chemical, food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries, as well as in decontamination processes.

Mucilaginous polysaccharides from vegetative parts ofBixa orellanaL.: Their characterization and antioxidant potential

“…The L , a *, and b * values in B. orellana leaf extracts were tending toward green due to chlorophyll residues in the extracts (Lee et al, ). In the present study, the pH values of B. orellana leaf and twig MPS extracts are found to be similar to the values reported for Opuntia ficus‐indica, wherein the pH 5.5–7.5 is a critical factor in flocculation or coagulation processes (Monrroy et al, ). In general, the antioxidant activity depends on the correlation among various phenolic compounds (Miller, Rice‐Evans, Davies, Gopinathan, & Milner, ).…”

“…Mucilage is a polysaccharide hydrocolloid found abundantly in many plant species and some microorganisms. Mucilaginous polysaccharides (MPS) are high molecular weight macromolecules with an array of physicochemical properties and used in food, pharma, and cosmetic industries (Monrroy, García, Ríos, & García, ; Stephen & Phillips, ; Western, ). In addition, they have additional non‐structural actions (Wu, Wang, Cui, Tang, & Gu, ).…”

“…There are many polysaccharides (PS) that are not yet exploited commercially, but are used extensively in traditional local recipes. The main advantage of plant MPS is their useful physical properties (viscosity, elasticity, texture, emulsifier, gelling agent) and polysaccharides such as inulin, and related oligofructoses are used as functional food ingredients to combat various diseases (Kaur & Gupta, ; Monrroy et al, ) and also in food industry for increasing dairy foods consistency (Hussein et al, ). These MPS go together to other phytoconstituents derived from plants (Kumar, Manoj, & Giridhar, ) and serve as supplements for food.…”

Optimization of Extraction Condition and Characterization of Malva Verticillata Root Bark Mucilage

“…The weak signals at 3025 cm −1 and 2907.6 cm −1 represent stretching of N-H in proteins and C-H in the pyranose group, respectively (Han, Gao, Yin, .Jin, & Chen, 2016). The absence of one of absorption bands associated with carboxylic group (1680 cm −1 , s) indicates the absence of uronic acid which is usually present in a number of plant mucilages (Monrroy et al, 2017). …”

“…Thanatcha and Pranee, (2011) reported the significant effect of solvent on yield of mucilage. No thermal method of hydrating and agitation results in high yield than non-agitation method (Monrroy, Garcí a, Rí os, & Rená n, 2017). Mucilage precipitated by acetone is more soluble and swell totally in water than using ethanol (Patel, Shah, Mahajan, & Dushyant, 2011).…”