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Habitat effects on yield, fatty acid composition and tocopherol contents of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) seed oils
Abstract
In this study, oil yields, fatty acid composition and tocopherol contents of prickly pear seeds were determined. The oil contents of the seeds of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) varied from 5.0% (Ortaören) to 14.4% (Eskioba). Palmitic acid contents of seed oils ranged between 10.6% (Mut) and 12.8% (Kepez). While seed oils contained 13.0% (Hatay-2) to 23.5% (Kepez) oleic acid, its linoleic contents ranged between 49.3% (Kepez) and 62.1% (Hatay-2). Also, stearic acid contents of oils were found at the levels between 3.3% (Kozan and Şevkiye) and 5.4% (Kepez). The tocopherol contents of prickly pear seed oils were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). β-Tocopherol contents of oils ranged between 3.9% (Eskioba) and 50.0% (Adana centrum).Highlights► Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) is a tropical. ► Cactus pear grows wild in arid and semiarid regions. ► Cactus pear seed oil was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. ► Cactus pear fruits play an important role in human diet. ► Cactus pear fruits are consumed mainly in the fresh state.
... Nowadays, the demand for natural ingredients, nutraceuticals and health-promoting foods increased constantly. [1] The various known properties of plants are related to the great source of complex chemical molecules they represent and operated by humans in the food, cosmetic, medicinal and pharmaceutical field. [2] Some of these molecules are stored in fatty oils that are found in different parts of the plant specially in the seeds and after oil extraction these molecules are still present in the oils. ...
... [5,6] It has a global distribution and is an important nutrient and food source. [1] Cactus is experiencing a renewed interest in several countries due to its ecological and socio-economic roles: the fight against erosion and desertification, the production of fruits, the use as animal feed and the use in the food, cosmetic and medicinal industry. [7] [1] 6 h Soxhlet Petroleum ether 5 g 5.5% Tunisia [10] 6 h Soxhlet Petroleum ether 120 g 13.6% ...
... [1] Cactus is experiencing a renewed interest in several countries due to its ecological and socio-economic roles: the fight against erosion and desertification, the production of fruits, the use as animal feed and the use in the food, cosmetic and medicinal industry. [7] [1] 6 h Soxhlet Petroleum ether 5 g 5.5% Tunisia [10] 6 h Soxhlet Petroleum ether 120 g 13.6% ...
Physicochemical parameters, nutritional composition and therapeutic effect of Opuntia ficus-indica seed oil extracted by different standard extraction techniques were reviewed. Cactus seeds contain between 3.4 and 14.4% oil with linoleic acid and oleic acid as major fatty acids. The most prominent triacylglycerols are trilinolein (LLL), dilinoleic-monoolein (LLO), dilinoleic-monopalmitin (LLP) and dioleinic-monolinolein (OOL). γ-tocopherol amounts to 90% and higher of the total tocopherols. The main phytosterol is β-sitosterol varying from 71.6% to 79.1% of the total content (0.9-16.06 g/ kg). The most dominant volatile compounds are aldehydes. Cactus seed oil is rich in phenolic compounds, where vanillin, syringaldehyde, and ferulalde-hyde are the main representatives.
... Gharby et al. (2015) reveal that the oil yields of cold press extraction ranged from 6 to 7%. However, the findings of Matthäus and Özcan (2011) showed that the oil contents of the seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica in Turkey varied among the different localities ranging from 5.0% (Ortaören) to 14.4% (Eskioba) which is Environ Sci Pollut Res in accordance with our results; the same goes for Al-Juhaimi et al. (2019) who have shown that oil content varies between 3.09% and 6.80%; therefore, the result of Sawaya and Khan (1982) found that the seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica represented only about 12-15% of the whole fruit and that the oil yield of the seeds was about 13.6%, whereas El Hachimi et al. (2015) show that prickly pear oil is a fluid oil with a relatively low extraction yield of 7.81 ± 0.78% to 10.45 ± 1.34%. ...
... In the region of Nabeul, Tunisia, the results of R'bia et al. (2017) showed that the same fatty acids were found linoleic acid with 61.42% and oleic acid 20.55%, and from Palermo, Sicily, Italy, linoleic acid was the dominant fatty acid with 58.5 ± 1.1% (De Wit et al. 2017). Belviranlı et al. (2019) and Matthäus and Özcan (2011) have shown that linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids are the most dominant fatty acids in prickly pear oil. ...
... Our results are in accordance with those of Matthäus and Özcan (2011) who found that γ-tocopherol contents of Opuntia seed oil varied between 3.9% (Eskioba) and 50.0% (Adana) our results were less than that of Gharby et al. (2015) how shown a high level of tocopherols in cactus seed cold press oil which the content was determined to be (946 mg/kg), which is much above that of the Tunisian (447 mg/kg) and Germany cactus seed oil (403 mg/kg). ...
The present study focuses on the effect of temperature and extraction methods on the yields, chemical quality, fatty acids, and tocopherols of the oil extracted from the seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica, collected in the eastern region of Morocco. Our results revealed the effect of temperature that when we increase the temperature used, the yields also increase; the results also showed that this high temperature does not affect the physicochemical properties, fatty acids, and tocopherols. Thus, the results of this study revealed that the prickly pear is a rich source of oil; the obtained oil yields varied from 12.49%±0.09 for mechanical extraction, 11.46±0.10 for chemical extraction, and 10.52%±0.09 for maceration. The main fatty acids founded in Opuntia ficus-indica are linoleic acid 75.80%±0.10 (chemical), 74.07%±0.14 (maceration), and 71.59%±0.14 (mechanical) and palmitic acid 17.32%±0.02 (chemical), 22.419%±0.06 (maceration), and 26.58%±0.00 (mechanical); prickly pear oil could be classified as a linoleic acid. The physicochemical properties of Opuntia ficus-indica seed oils such as acid index mgKOH/g oil (4,376±0.10, 5.854±0.03, 5.667±0.07), saponification value mgKOH/g oil (181.12 ±0.18, 183.77±1.23, 179.08±3.45), and peroxide value 20milieq/Kg (5.75±0.08, 6±0.06, 5.97±0.04) for mechanical, chemical, and maceration extraction, respectively, density, and refractive index were all found to be in good accordance with quality criteria for both pure and fresh oils. Among the tocopherols found, a high value of γ-tocopherol was detected in mechanical extraction with 502.04±0.76 mg/kg, followed by chemical extraction and maceration with 430.12±0.61mg/kg and 315.47±0.96 mg/kg, respectively.
Graphical abstract
... g/100 g when the oil was extracted from 17 different origins in Morocco with n-hexane for 8 h using the Soxhlet apparatus [4]. In addition, the PPSO yield extracted with petroleum ether in a Soxhlet extractor for 6 h was found to be 5.0-14.4% depending on the different localities in Turkey [24]. ...
... g/100 g) [2]. In addition, fatty acid content was varied due to time collection from different locations and provinces of Turkey [24]. The unsaturated fatty acids included mainly linoleic (49.3-62.1%), ...
... Saturated fatty acids mainly include palmitic acid contents of seed oils of 10.6-12.8% and stearic acid 3.3-5.4% [24]. ...
Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) is a member of the Cactaceae family originally grown
in South America, and the plant is now distributed to many parts of the world, including the Middle
East. The chemical composition and biological activities of different parts of prickly pear, including
cladodes, flowers, fruit, seeds and seed oil, were previously investigated. Oil from the seeds has
been known for its nutritive value and can be potentially used for health promotion. This review
is an effort to cover what is actually known to date about the prickly pear seeds oil extraction,
characteristics, chemical composition and potential health benefits to provide inspiration for the
need of further investigation and future research. Prickly pear seeds oil has been extracted using
different extraction techniques from conventional to advanced. Chemical characterization of the oil
has been sufficiently studied, and it is sufficiently understood that the oil is a high linoleic oil. Its
composition is influenced by the variety and environment and also by the method of extraction. The
health benefits of the prickly pear seed oil were reported by many researchers. For future research,
additional studies are warranted on mechanisms of action of the reported biological activities to
develop nutraceutical products for the prevention of various chronic human diseases
... The difference in the oil content of cactus seeds from different locations can be explained by the variability in geographic, climatic and environmental conditions. Other reasons, such as analytical conditions, may also affect this content [12]. The seed oil yield of Opuntia (7 to 15%) is much lower than those reported for other well-known seed oils such as argan kernels (50%), unroasted argan (28.49%), sesame seed (54%), black seed (34%), sunflower (44%), soybean (19%) and olives (20%) [13][14][15][16]. ...
... The high content of total tocopherols is the specificity of cactus seed oils [12,16,28]. On the one hand, studies have shown that O. ficus-indica oil is very rich in tocopherols, and γ-tocopherol is the most dominant in this oil [9,12,28,34,36,37]. ...
... The high content of total tocopherols is the specificity of cactus seed oils [12,16,28]. On the one hand, studies have shown that O. ficus-indica oil is very rich in tocopherols, and γ-tocopherol is the most dominant in this oil [9,12,28,34,36,37]. On the other hand, these constituents were absent or present in small quantities in O. dillenii seed oil. ...
Opuntia species belong to semi-arid and arid regions of Mexico and the United States. O. ficus-indica and O. dillenii are commonly used in alternative medicine to treat various diseases. Up to date, several scientific works have been carried out on the different parts of these plants. However, over the last few years, studies have been focusing on the oil obtained from the fruit seeds of these species. For this reason, this study aims to draw the attention of researchers toward the phytochemical and the pharmacological effects of these two Opuntia oils, which would help set up other scientific projects that promote these products. Phytochemical studies have shown that these oils are rich in biologically active molecules, such as unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols (mainly linoleic acid and β-sitosterol), as well as vitamin E, which is represented only by the γ-tocopherol. Besides, these oils are rich in polyphenols that protect them from photo-oxidation. Moreover , several studies have shown their antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammato-ry, hepatoprotective, and gastroprotective activities, as well as their hypolipidemic properties. The beneficial effects of these oils include also their ability to block the weight loss, and what makes them more interesting is their safety, according to the literature.
... Phenolic compounds were in the fruits of OFI [11], in addition to pigments [18] and essential oil [19]. The fixed oil content of the seeds from different regions [20][21][22] was analysed, and effect of habitat was also examined [21]. The oil obtained from the seeds of some other Opuntia species is rich in PUFA [23] and showed anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and analgesic effects. ...
... Phenolic compounds were in the fruits of OFI [11], in addition to pigments [18] and essential oil [19]. The fixed oil content of the seeds from different regions [20][21][22] was analysed, and effect of habitat was also examined [21]. The oil obtained from the seeds of some other Opuntia species is rich in PUFA [23] and showed anti-oxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-fungal and analgesic effects. ...
... The obtained results showed a great similarity to a previous study on the Saudi variety, except in the value of linoleic acid that was 73% while βsitosterol was not detected in the analysed oil [30]. Fig. 4 Effect of OFI seed oil on histopathological changes in the croton oil-induced ear oedema model (X40): a control ear tissue: no histopathological alteration and the normal histological structure of the skin layers (S), subcutaneous tissue (SC), musculature (M) and cartilaginous structure (arrows); b ear tissue from croton oil-exposed rats with massive inflammatory cells infiltration (blue dots) with oedema; c ear tissue from rats treated with indomethacin (10 mg/kg) shows almost intact dermal and cartilaginous structures with only a few inflammatory cells infiltration in subcutaneous tissue; d ear tissue from rats treated with F. opuntia seed oil (100 mg/kg) showing congestion of blood vessels with oedema and few inflammatory cells infiltration; e ear tissue from rats treated with f. opuntia seed oil (200 mg/kg) showing few cellular infiltrations that is comparable to indomethacin effect In Turkish variety [21,23], the concentration of palmitic acid reached up to 11% while it was 17% in South African variety [29]. Meanwhile, the concentration of linoleic acid in this study was lower than studied varieties that ranged from 49 to 67% in Turkish [20] and South African varieties [29], respectively. ...
The fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (OFI), a member of the family Cactaceae, are cultivated in Saudi Arabia and considered as a functional food with anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of current study was to chemically characterise OFI growing in Saudi Arabia by GC–MS and evaluate its anti-inflammatory activity in rat models via carrageenan-induced paw oedema and croton oil-induced ear oedema at two doses 100 and 200 mg/kg. Palmitic acid (10.68%), linoleic acid (5.9%), oleic acid (8.16%) and β-sitosterol (24.98%) are the major constituents in OFI seed oil. In carrageenan-induced rats, the OFI seed oil (100 and 200 mg/kg) produced significant inhibition of oedema by approximately 46% and 62%, respectively, and reduced prostaglandin (PGE2) concentrations in exudates by 54% and 67%, respectively. Also, it significantly decreased the weight of punch from challenged ears by 20% and 33% and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity by 54% and 62% of the induced ear, respectively. This was accompanied by amelioration of croton oil-induced histopathological changes. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory activity of the OFI seed oil might be attributed to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) such as oleic acid (omega-9) in addition to β-sitosterol through decreasing PGE2 and MPO activity in the inflamed tissues which was supported by histopathological examination.
... Recently, the requirements for natural ingredients, healthy foods and nutraceuticals had increased (Matthäus and Özcan, 2011). Plants are viable sources to satisfy this necessity because they contain a large number of bioactive compounds with several positive effects on human nutrition, cosmetics, medicine or pharmacy. ...
... The higher biological activity of α-tocopherol in comparison to the other tocopherols makes it interesting for human consumption, but γ-tocopherol shows the highest antioxidant capacity (Gharby et al., 2013). The high antioxidant activity of the tocopherols against the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids helps to enhance oil quality by preserving it from rancidity during storage and prolonging the shelf-life (Matthäus and Özcan, 2011). The amount of tocopherols in Moroccan OFSO (559 mg/ kg) is much higher than that of the Tunisian (447 mg/ kg) and the German OFSO (403 mg/kg), which were solvent extracted oils (Ramadan and Mörsel, 2003;El Mannoubi et al., 2009). ...
The fatty acids, sterol, tocopherol and volatile compositions of Moroccan cold-pressed cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) seed oil were studied. The most abundant fatty acid, tocopherol and sterol were linoleic acid (60.6%), γ-tocopherol (533 mg/kg) and β-sitosterol (6075 mg/kg), respectively. In this study, 23 volatile compounds were identified with perceivable odor attributes for 14 compounds. The oxidative quality of cactus seed oil was monitored over 4 weeks at 50 °C. Increases in PV, K232 and FFA were detected during the first two weeks as well as a decrease in the induction time; whereas no change was reported for the K270 values. The amount of total phenolic content increased until it reached 0.3 mg/kg and then decreased by the end of the storage period; while tocopherols started to decrease after the first week. The fat-free residue extracts showed a very strong effect to reduce the oxidation of linoleic acid. Consequently, the extracts were significantly more effective to bleach β-carotene in the β-carotene-linoleic acid assay in comparison with the control.
... Prickly pear plant, which is a potential alternative agricultural product, is a drought-resistant succulent plant for dry regions (Shetty et al. 2012;Jorge et al. 2013; Bargougui et al. 2019). Cactus pear fruits grown in semi-arid regions are an excellent source of nutrients, pigments, carotenoids and functional compounds (Kuti 2004;Matthäus and Özcan 2011). However, although some cacti such as Opuntia dilleni fruits have high nutritional value, they are difficult to consume due to their sour taste and large amounts of seeds (Yeddes et al. 2013). ...
... The oil contents of Opuntia ficus-indica seeds ranged between 6.80 and 9.81% (AlJuhaimi et al. 2020). The predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid of prickly pear seed oil was linoleic acid (Matthäus and Özcan 2011;Mörsel 2003, 2013b). Linoleic acid (56.6%) was the main fatty acid of prickly pear seed oil, followed by oleic acid (20.1%) (Tlili et al. 2011). ...
The peel, pulp and seeds of prickly pear fruits contained 84.3%, 82.98% and 5.78% moisture, respectively. Total carotenoid and total flavonoid contents of prickly pear fruit parts ranged between 0.02 µg/kg (peel) and 1.11 µg/kg (seed) to 14.52 mg per 100 g (pulp) and 68.33 mg per 100 g (seed), respectively. Total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of prickly pear fruit parts were determined between 41.94 mg GAE per 100 g (seed) and 122.10 mg GAE per 100 g (peel) to 0.87% (pulp) and 1.68% (seed), respectively. In general, prickly pear fruit seed, peel and pulp are very rich in catechin and gallic acid. Gallic acid amounts of prickly pear fruit parts varied between 17.46 (pulp) and 27.70 mg per 100 g (peel). Catechin and rutin trihydrate contents of prickly pear fruit portions were identified between 36.74 (pulp) and 122.87 mg per 100 g (seed) to 1.35 mg per 100 g (peel) and 10.04 mg per 100 g (pulp), respectively. The prickly pear seed oil contained 11.99% palmitic, 3.51% stearic, 20.28% oleic and 62.50% linoleic acids.
... The high level of total tocopherols is the peculiarity of cactus seed oils [35][36][37]. Our data are concordant with that previously published by [35,37,38] reported that O. ficus-indica oil is very rich in tocopherols, generally β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol. ...
... The high level of total tocopherols is the peculiarity of cactus seed oils [35][36][37]. Our data are concordant with that previously published by [35,37,38] reported that O. ficus-indica oil is very rich in tocopherols, generally β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol. Tocopherols, also called Vitamin E, are an important family of lipophilic compounds which have antioxidant activity where the interest is determining the tocopherols composition in O. ficus-indica seed oil. ...
Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is a cactus that is widely cultivated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia especially in the Taif region due to its favorable weather for growing, and it has benefits as a food and traditional medicine. The aim of the current study was to chemically characterize Opuntia ficus-indica seed oil from Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using GC-MS and HPLC analysis and evaluate its antioxidant, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and anticancer activities. Linolenic acid was the dominating fatty acid in OFI oil, followed by oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid. Total tocopherol (α-, β-, Ɣ-tocopherol) was found to be 24.02 μg/mL. Campesterol was the main phytosterol, followed by γ- & β -sitosterol, and Stigmasterol. The phenolic components scored 30.5 mg gallic acid equivalent per ml of oil with 89.2% antioxidant activity (% DPPH radical inhibition) at 200 µL/mL of OFI oil. OFI oil showed an inhibition efficacy against microbial strains especially Saccharomyces cervisiae with a diameter (28.3 ± 0.4), MBC (15 µg/mL) and MIC bacteriostatic (10 µg/mL). While OFI oil had no effect against Aspergillus niger, OFI oil showed weak inhibitory activity against A-2780 (Ovarian carcinoma) cell line, although it showed significant inhibitory activity against PC-3 (Prostate carcinoma) cell line. OFI oil exhibited an antiviral effect (22.67 ± 2.79%) at 300 µg/mL of Oil against herpes simplex type 2 (HSV-2) virus. The bioactive compounds of OFI oil, as well as its main biological activities, make it a promising candidate for the non-communicable disease management.
... Although every matrix revealed a peculiar FA profile, in general, palmitic acid (C16:0) was the most abundant SFA (from 10.35% in seeds to 21.14% in nopal), oleic acid (C18:1 n-9, from 13.56% in peels to 23.26% in fruit pulp) exhibited the 83-93% of total MUFAs, while linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) was the predominant PUFA (from 36.44% in nopal to 61.11% in seeds), representing up to 99% of total PUFAs in seeds (Table 2). In particular, prickly pear seeds reported the FA composition typical of an edible seed oil with potential health benefits, due to the abundant presence of PUFAs, especially the essential linoleic acid, and the lowest content of SFAs (14.12%) [62,64,65]. Indeed, similar FA profiles have been already reported for the grape seed oil (C16:0, 9.91%; C18:0, 2.88%; C18:1 n-9, 26.51%; C18:2 n-6, 53.84%,) [66], the paprika seed oil (C16:0, 13.8%; C18:0, 3.7%; C18:1 n-9, 14.6%; C18:2 n-6, 67.8%) [65], and the niger seed oil (C16:0, 12.0%; C18:0, 3.0%; C18:1 n-9, 13.5%; C18:2 n-6, 65.4%) [65]. ...
... However, similarly to fruit pulp, Opuntia seeds with different origins showed a quite homogenous FA composition. Indeed, Turkish, Tunisian, and Algerian seeds dried under atmospheric conditions had predominant FAs such as palmitic acid comprised of between 9.23 and 13.4%, oleic acid from 13.0 to 25.52%, and linoleic acid between 49.3 and 63.1% [62,64,73,74]. In particular, such PUFA reached up to 70.3% in seeds from the governorate of Sfax (Tunisia) [73]. ...
Various dried (by-)products from the Tunisian O. ficus-indica were elucidated for their proximate composition, fatty acid (FA) composition, inorganic elements, sugars, and polyphenols. Nopal and prickly pear peel and seeds were abundant in fiber (respectively, 28.39, 12.54, and 16.28%). Seeds had also high protein (17.34%) and may be source of an edible oil, due to lipids (9.65%) poor in saturated FAs (14.12%) and rich in linoleic acid (61.11%). Nopal and peel showed the highest levels of Mg (493.57 and 345.19 mg/100 g), K (6949.57 and 1820.83 mg/100 g), Mn (59.73 and 46.86 mg/Kg) and Fe (23.15 and 15.23 mg/Kg), while the fruit pulp predominantly constituted of sugars, glucose and arabinose being predominant (42.57 and 13.56 g/100 g). Total polyphenols widely varied among the Opuntia products (108.36–4785.36 mg GAE/100 g), being mainly represented by hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, and flavonoids as well. In particular, peel may be revalorized for these valuable bioactives, including 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (484.95 mg/100 g), cinnamic acid (318.95 mg/100 g), rutin (818.94 mg/100 g), quercetin (605.28 mg/100 g), and several isorhamnetin and kaempferol glycosides. Overall, the Tunisian prickly pear cactus could encourage a sustainable production, an effective waste management, and may provide several benefits for human health, in accordance with the model of the Mediterranean diet.
... Furthermore, prickly pear seed oil has a rich aroma because of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones, and other compounds, such as 2-propenal, acetic acid, pentanal, 1-pentanol, hexanal, 2-hexenal, heptanal, 2heptenal (Z), octanal, 2-octenal, nonanal, 2,4-decadienal (E,E), and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal [12]. However, the chemical composition of this oil, particularly its fatty acid and tocopherol composition, changes according to geographic origin [13]. ...
... ese results are in agreement with those obtained for Algerian OFI varieties by Chougui et al. [29] and Ramadan and Mörsel [9]. However, higher oil content (up to 14.4%) has been reported for a Turkish OFI variety by Matthäus andÖzcan [13], who reported that the difference in the oil content of the seeds can be attributed to varietal and environmental effects. e oil content of prickly pear seeds appears to be very low compared to that of other plant species from which oils are derived, including argan seeds (53%) [25], sesame seeds (52%) [26], Nigella seeds (37%) [27], olive fruits (20%-40.73%) ...
The prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) is an important plant in the economies of arid and semiarid areas, considering its low agronomic requirements and high water use efficiency. Characterizing the chemical composition of this plant will open new avenues for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. In this context, this study examined the physical and chemical parameters of fruit seed oils of two prickly pear species from Rhamna area located in the center of Morocco: Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI), represented by the varieties “Safra” and “Aakria,” and Opuntia megacantha (OM), represented by the variety “Derbana.” The evaluated parameters included oil content, free acidity, specific extinction coefficients (K232 and K270), pigment content, fatty acid, and triglyceride composition. The seed oil contents of the three varieties “Safra,” “Aakria,” and “Derbana” were 8.09%, 8.74%, and 8.04%, respectively. OM (“Derbana”) seed oil was the most stable. The three studied varieties had higher contents of α-pheophytin and carotenoids than that of chlorophyll. Oil from the “Aakria” variety was distinguished by having the highest contents of α-pheophytin and chlorophyll. Significant differences in some fatty acid and triglyceride contents were noted. The major fatty acids of the three varieties were linoleic acid (60.55%–63.46%), followed by oleic acid (18.88%–21.81%) and palmitic acid (13.03%–13.75%). Furthermore, the chromatographic profiles of the triglycerides have shown the dominance of trilinolein (LLL, 24.33%–26.49%) and oleoyl-dilinoleoyl-glycerol (OLL, 20.92%–21.92%). Some triglycerides could be considered species markers, especially OLL, dipalmitoyl-linoleoyl-glycerol (PPL), oleoyl-linoleoyl-linolenoyl-glycerol and palmitoyl-oleoyl-dilinoleoyl-glycerol fraction (OLLn + PoLL), and stearoyl-dioleoyl-glycerol (SOO). This study provides a basis for qualitatively evaluating the therapeutic and cosmetic potential of prickly pear derivatives and for establishing quality standards of seed oil derived from the two species studied.
1. Introduction
The prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) belongs to the Cactaceae family. Native to Mexico, it was introduced into the Mediterranean region around the end of the 15th century and into North Africa around the end of the 16th century [1]. Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is a spineless and dominant species. It is found in different varieties that differ in color and that are harvested in varying stages of ripeness. Opuntia megacantha (OM) is a thorny species that is mainly used for farm fencing. The seeds are used for oil extraction [2]. Phenology studies of these species have shown that they produce vegetative and floral buds during the spring and undergo long periods of fruit development in the summer [3].
Currently, the prickly pear is of great interest not only for its ecological roles but also for its potential in food, industrial, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. The literature reports promising information concerning the biological activities and chemical composition of different parts of this plant (fruit pulp, cladodes, seeds, and flowers). Pulps, peels, and cladodes are rich in bioactive compounds, especially antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids, glutathione, and pigments [4–6].
The seeds constitute 2–3.8% of the fruit weight [7]. The oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid was established as a major fatty acid in seed oils, followed by oleic and palmitic acids. Myristic, stearic, and arachidonic acids were detected in OFI seed oil in low amounts [8–10]. Significant levels of vitamins (tocopherol and vitamin K1) and sterols were also found in this oil. Beta-sitosterol was the sterol marker, accounting for 72% of the total. The major tocopherol is gamma-tocopherol, representing an average of 90% of total tocopherols, compared with delta-tocopherol (9%) and alpha-tocopherol (1.8%) [11]. Furthermore, prickly pear seed oil has a rich aroma because of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones, and other compounds, such as 2-propenal, acetic acid, pentanal, 1-pentanol, hexanal, 2-hexenal, heptanal, 2-heptenal (Z), octanal, 2-octenal, nonanal, 2,4-decadienal (E,E), and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal [12]. However, the chemical composition of this oil, particularly its fatty acid and tocopherol composition, changes according to geographic origin [13].
Previous studies have conducted useful chemical investigations to evaluate the therapeutic and cosmetic potential of prickly pear seed oil. However, for other oils sold worldwide, such as olive oil and argan oil, quality standards have been established; such standards for prickly pear seed oil are lacking. Therefore, extensive studies on the purity and quality of prickly pear seed oil and its shelf life are essential to promote the quality and utility of this product on a commercial scale. A recent study focused on the sanitary and commercial quality related to the oxidative stability under different storage conditions and adulteration detection of prickly pear seed oil, especially in OFI species [14].
The present study aims to establish a comparative assessment through the physical and chemical characterizations of prickly pear seed oils of three varieties belonging to two species of the prickly pear (Opuntia spp.): OM species locally called “Derbana” and OFI species represented by the varieties “Safra” and “Aakria” from Rhamna, located in the center of Morocco. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to compare seed oils of these prickly pear species. The results of this investigation will also provide useful information for future studies evaluating the therapeutic and cosmetic potential of prickly pear seed oil.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Plant Material and Oil Extraction
Two prickly pear species (Opuntia spp.) collected from the Rhamna region (central Morocco) were studied.(i)Two varieties of OFI: (i) the variety with yellow orange pulp locally called “Safra” or “Mles” and (ii) the variety with carmine red pulp, locally called “Aakria.”(ii)OM: locally called “Derbana” or “El-Hercha” [2].
Homrani Bakali et al. [7] reported that two prickly pear types, spineless and spiny, are represented, respectively, by Opuntia ficus-indica f. ficus-indica (OFI) and Opuntia ficus-indica f. amyclaea, taxonomic synonym (homotypic) of Opuntia megacantha (OM), and nomenclatural synonym (heterotypic) of Opuntia amyclaea.
The plant voucher specimens of the two species used in this study were deposited at the Regional Herbarium “MARK” of the Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University (Marrakesh, Morocco).
The fruits of both species, OFI and OM, were harvested at the ripe stage in the Skhour Rhamna region, located approximately 100 km north of Marrakesh (Rhamna Province, Morocco). They were hand-peeled, and the pulp was separated from the seeds using a hand crusher and sieve. The seeds were then washed thoroughly with water, dried in an oven at 30°C for 24 h, and crushed using a PULVERISETTE 14 grinder (Fritsch International, Germany).
First, 45 g of seed powder was collected for each variety; then, the oils were extracted with hexane using a Soxhlet extraction system for 6 h at 65°C. At the end of the extraction, the organic phase was evaporated using a rotary evaporator under vacuum with minimal heating (40°C). The obtained oil was placed in dark glass vials for protection from light and bubbled with a stream of nitrogen to remove residual traces of hexane. The vials were stored at 4°C until further analysis. The oil content is expressed in g/100 g of seed powder.
2.2. Determination of Oil Physical Quality Parameters
The oil-specific extinction coefficients K232 and K270, which are used to evaluate conjugated dienes and conjugated trienes, respectively, were determined according to the IOC standard [15].
For free acidity determination, the method used was described by the standard NF.T 60-204 [16]. Briefly, 1 g of oil was obtained in 20 mL of an equal volume of ether/ethanol (50/50, v/v) and neutralized, and then, free fatty acids were titrated using an ethanolic potassium hydroxide solution in the presence of phenolphthalein. The end product exhibited a slightly pink color.
2.3. Determination of Oil Chemical Parameters
2.3.1. Pigment Content
The pigment content of prickly pear seed oil (expressed in ppm) was determined according to the methods described by Wolff [17] for chlorophyll, Psomiadou and Tsimidou [18] for α-pheophytin, and Mosquera-Minguez et al. [19] for carotenoids. The fractions of α-pheophytin and chlorophyll were quantified at wavelengths of 630, 670, and 710 nm, and those of the carotenoids were determined at 470 nm.
2.3.2. Fatty Acid Composition
Fatty acid composition was determined by the gas chromatography analysis according to the analytical methods described in the IOC standard [20]. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were prepared by adding 0.2 mL of a methanolic solution of potassium hydroxide (2 N) to the oil solution prepared with 0.1 g of oil and n-heptane (2 mL). Before injection into the chromatograph, the n-heptane solution was shaken vigorously for 15 s and allowed to stand until the upper part became clear (5 min). The fatty acids separation was carried out using gas chromatograph Varian CP 3380, equipped with a capillary column packed with a stationary phase (CP-Wax 50 CB: length L = 25 m; inner diameter Ф = 0.25 mm; Ft = 0.20 μm), using split/splitless injector (split ratio of 1 : 100) equipped with the autosampler Varian CP-8400 and FID detector. The temperatures of the injector, detector, and oven were 220, 230, and 190°C, respectively. Nitrogen was used as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 154.0 mL/min. The injection volume was 1 µL. Fatty acids were identified by the use of control fatty acids and by the recourse to the methods of imprinting. For fatty acid quantification, the total area (TA) was the sum of all the peaks that appeared in the chromatogram, from C16 : 0 to C20 : 1. The percentage of each peak (FAx (%)) was calculated using the following equation:where Ax is the individual peak area of each FAME and AT is the total area of all FAME peaks.
Based on fatty acid composition, the iodine value (IV), which measures the level of unsaturation in oils and is expressed in grams of iodine absorbed by 100 g of oil, was calculated from the percentages of fatty acids (FA) according to the following equation proposed by Dıraman and Dibeklioğlu [21]:
2.3.3. Triglyceride Composition
The triglyceride composition was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (Jasco PU, 2080) with a refractive index detector (RI-930), a type recorder-integrator (FP, 1520), and a stainless steel column (250 mm × 4.5 mm, LiChrosorb, RP 18, Art 50333) filled with silica particles of 5 µm in diameter. The eluent was a mixture of acetone and acetonitrile (50/50, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min at 40°C. A volume of 20 µL of 5% (w/v) oil and acetone solution was injected into the HPLC system. The triglycerides were identified using the official EEC method [22].
The chemical parameters of the studied oils were compared to those of other fruit and seed oils, especially those of argan seeds (Argania spinosa), sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum), black cumin or Nigella seeds (Nigella sativa), olive fruit (Olea europaea), and lentisk seeds (Pistacia lentiscus). Selection of these oils was based on their characteristics, which are well defined and are widely used in various applications, especially in nutraceuticals and cosmetics.
2.4. Statistical Analyses
Data are presented in tables and figures as the mean ± standard error of three independent experiments. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) where the varieties constitute the only factor considered. The comparison between the means was carried out with the Student–Newman–Keuls test. The difference between means was significant at .
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Oil Content
The respective seed oil contents of OFI (“Safra” and “Aakria”) and OM (“Derbana”) varieties were 8.09%, 8.74%, and 8.04% (Table 1). The “Aakria” variety had the highest oil content (8.74%). These results are in agreement with those obtained for Algerian OFI varieties by Chougui et al. [29] and Ramadan and Mörsel [9]. However, higher oil content (up to 14.4%) has been reported for a Turkish OFI variety by Matthäus and Özcan [13], who reported that the difference in the oil content of the seeds can be attributed to varietal and environmental effects. The oil content of prickly pear seeds appears to be very low compared to that of other plant species from which oils are derived, including argan seeds (53%) [25], sesame seeds (52%) [26], Nigella seeds (37%) [27], olive fruits (20%–40.73%) [23, 24], and lentisk seeds (7.67%–21.33%) [28].
Parameters
Prickly pear species and varieties
Nutraceutical and cosmetic fruits or seed oils
Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia megacantha
Olive, Olea europaea [23, 24]
Argan, Argania spinosa [25]
Sesame, Sesamum indicum [26]
Black cumin, Nigella sativa [27]
Lentisk, Pistacia lentiscus [28]
Safra
Aakria
Derbana
Oil content (%)
8.09a ± 0.06
8.74b ± 0.03
8.04a ± 0.03
20–40.73
53.00
52.00
37.00
7.67–21.33
Free acidity (%)
0.71a ± 0.04
0.64a ± 0.04
0.60a ± 0.04
<0.80
0.28
0.92
2.30
—
Extinction coefficient K232
2.25b ± 0.03
2.24b ± 0.04
1.82a ± 0.07
<2.50
1.12
1.73
2.21
—
Extinction coefficient K270
0.92b ± 0.04
0.95b ± 0.08
0.66a ± 0.04
<0.22
0.21
0.52
2.77
—
Means (±standard errors) with the same letter within rows did not differ significantly according to the Student–Newman–Keuls test at .
... The oil makes up approximately 17% of the seed mass [13]. The oil is characterized as a low oil content seed oil, and is principally composed of unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic (61-69%) and oleic acid (12-16%) and is also composed of saturated fatty acids (18%), stearic (11-16%) and palmitic acid (3-4%), which occur at much lower amounts [14][15][16][17][18][19]. The human body is naturally unable to manufacture essential fatty acids such as the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, therefore these fatty acids should be included in the diet. ...
... Cactus pear seed oil has a high level of unsaturation that makes it a potential health oil that must be further explored [14]. Its physical and chemical characteristics show similarities to other fruit/vegetable oils such as grape seed oil (linoleic acid: 68-78%; palmitic acid: 5-11%; stearic acid: 3-6%) and rape seed oil (linoleic acid: 61%; palmitic acid: 4%; stearic acid: 2%) [14,15,19]. Fatty acids such as palmitoleic acid and arachidic acid have been observed in much fewer quantities in cactus pear seed oil [21]. ...
Cactus pears are nutritious, drought-tolerant plants that flourish in hot and arid regions. All its plant parts can be consumed by humans and animals. Fruit seed oil production is an important emerging industry in South Africa. As part of an initiative to promote cactus pears as multi-functional crops, dual-purpose cultivars should be identified, and their production increased. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on the seed oil yield and quality of Opuntia ficus-indica. The project encompassed a trial using N fertilization from three N sources (limestone ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea) and four N application levels (0, 60, 120, 240 kg ha−1). Oil was quantitatively extracted from the seed using the Folch method; fatty acids were quantified using a Varian 430-GC. Seed oil content significantly increased (p = 0.035) with increased N fertilization rates; the oil yield ranged between 7.96 and 9.54%. The composition of the main fatty acids (oleic, palmitic, cis-vaccenic and stearic acid) was significantly influenced; oleic and stearic acid were significantly increased by higher fertilization levels whereas a reducing trend was observed in palmitic and cis-vaccenic acid levels. The highest content fatty acid, linoleic acid, was not significantly influenced.
... Seeds constitute more than 15% of the fruit mass and their oil represents 10-15% of total seeds mass [3]. is oil has a high content of unsaturated fatty acids ranging from 73.5% to 88.3% [3,4]. Linoleic acid is the major fatty acid followed by oleic acid. is oil has also high saponification value (186.63 mg KOH/g of oil) and important contents of tocopherols (up to 94.60 mg/100 g) and sterols (90 mg/kg) [4,5]. ...
... Alpha-tocopherol is recommended for human and animal consumption because it has a higher biological activity than other tocopherols, but gamma-tocopherol shows a higher antioxidant capacity as compared to alpha-tocopherol [8]. According to the previous studies [3][4][5], the PPSO can reduce cholesterol, especially low and very low density lipoproteins (LDL and VLDL) levels. PPSO was also studied as dietary supplement for animals at the rate of 25 g/kg which has reduced feed conversion efficiency [9]. ...
Lipid oxidation and adulteration have a negative impact on functionality and notoriety of foods especially vegetable oils and cause economic losses. The present study investigates the control of two commercial quality aspects of prickly pear seeds oil (PPSO): oxidative stability during storage and detection of adulteration. Peroxide index, specific extinction coefficients K232 and K270, free acidity, and fatty acids composition were evaluated during different periods of incubation (6, 12, and 18 months) at various temperatures (4°C, 25°C, 40°C, and uncontrolled room temperature ranging between 4°C and 40°C) with different packaging (protected and unprotected from sunlight, with and without nitrogen gas bubbling). Based on the physicochemical and biochemical parameters evolution, this study has shown that PPSO stored at 4°C for 18 months preserves the initial quality. However, at 40°C, an intense lipid oxidative process occurred after 6 months of storage. The changes have also affected fatty acids composition, especially rates of linoleic and oleic acids. The shelf-life of oils stored at 25°C and at uncontrolled room temperature can be limited to 6 months. Regarding the impact of light and nitrogen bubbling, sunlight has affected seriously the oxidative stability of oils after 12 months of storage and the bubbling with nitrogen has improved their stability when they have been stored in clear glass bottles. The levels of adulteration detection using fatty acids as markers are relatively high. The detection of oil adulteration can be depicted by fatty acids composition up to 15% of olive and almond oils and up to 20% of rapeseed oil. The iodine value could also be an indicator of the sunflower oil presence in PPSO. Therefore, other minor compounds including sterols and tocopherols should be investigated to depict PPSO adulteration with cheaper oils and to determine lower levels of detection in order to ensure the authenticity of PPSO.
... The composition of fatty acid is an essential indicator of the nutritional value of oil (Gharby et al., 2018). Cactus oil is particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids and is very well documented (El Mannoubi et al., 2009;Matthäus and Özcan, 2011;Taoufik et al., 2015). Table 2 shows the results of the relative percentage of fatty acids cactus seed oil extracted with 2-MeO and n-hexane. ...
... Fatty acid composition of oil extracted with both the solvents were similar, and fatty acid content was found to be in the range of previously published values for cactus seed oil from Morocco (Zine et al., 2013;Taoufik et al., 2015;Gharby et al., 2020) and other countries reported in the literature including Turkish (Matthäus and Özcan, 2011), Italian (Loizzo et al., 2019) and Tunisian seed oils (El Mannoubi et al., 2009). Linoleic acid a polyunsaturated fatty acid was the major fatty acid constituting up to 62% of the fatty acid content. ...
The potential of 2-methyloxolane (2-MeO) as an alternative solvent to extract cactus seed oil was compared, in qualitative and quantitative terms, with that of n-hexane, a solvent commonly used for the extraction of edible or cosmetic oils. With 2-MeO, the oil yield was higher (9.55 ± 0.12 g/100 g) than the oil extracted with n-hexane (8.86 ± 0.25 g/100 g). The chemical and physical parameters quality indices (acidity, peroxide value and extinction coefficients (K 232 and K 270 ) of 2-methyloxolane extracted oil were found to be much higher than that of oil extracted with n-hexane. A suitable refining scheme will have to be applied, probably leading to slight additional cost and losses. Also, the results showed that the sterol content was higher in the oil obtained with 2-MeO (111.5 ± 2.5 mg/100 g) as a solvent when compared to the oil extracted with n-hexane (102.1 ± 7.54 mg/100 g). However, fatty acid and tocopherol content were not influenced by the extraction solvent. Therefore, the bio-based solvent 2-methyloxolane can be considered as an excellent alternative to the petroleum-based solvent n-hexane for edible/cosmetic oil extraction. The utilization of 2-MeO for oil extraction can drastically reduce the health and environmental impacts associated with n-hexane.
... Therefore, the oil from seeds can be potentially used by the food industry for the production of natural-based foods [5], with extended shelf-life [6,7]. More specifically, the oil from cactus pear seeds has been reported to have considerable amounts of unsaturated fatty acids [1], and antioxidant [8,9] or antimicrobial activity [10], as well as cardioprotective, anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arrhythmic, hypolipidemic, and anti-hyperglycemic properties [11,12]. These properties are of interest for the pharmaceutical and food sector. ...
... and 5.00-14.4%, respectively [9,[28][29][30], whereas the oil yield in prickly pear seeds of different South African varieties ranged between 2.24-5.69% [13]. ...
The chemical composition and properties of seed oils have attracted researchers nowadays. By this meaning, the physicochemical and bioactivity profile of prickly pear seed oil (PPSO) (a product of prickly pear fruits waste) were investigated. Seeds of shelf-grown cactus fruits (Opuntia ficus indica L.) were subjected to analysis. Moisture content (gravimetric analysis), seed content (gravimetric analysis), oil yield (Soxhlet extraction/gravimetric analysis), volatile compounds (HS-SPME/GC-MS), fatty acids profile (GC-FID), in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), and total phenolic content (Folin-Cioacalteu assay) were determined. Results showed that prickly pear seeds had a moisture content of 6.0±0.1 g/100g, whereas the oil yield ranged between 5.4±0.5 g/100g. Furthermore, the PPSO had a rich aroma because of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones, and other compounds, with the major volatiles being 2-propenal, acetic acid, pentanal, 1-pentanol, hexanal, 2-hexenal, heptanal, 2-heptenal (Z), octanal, 2-octenal,nonanal, 2,4-decadienal (E,E), and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal. Among the fatty acids, butyric, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids were the dominant. Finally, the pure PPSO had a high in vitro antioxidant activity (84±0.010%) and total phenolic content (551±0.300 mg of gallic acid equivalents/L). PPSO may be then used as a beneficial by-product, in different food systems as a flavoring, antioxidant, and nutritional agent.
... stearic (3.3-5.4%) acid [181] Argan oil Argania spinosa oleic (43-49%), linoleic (29-36%), palmitic (11-15%), stearic (4-7%) acid [182][183][184] Omega-3 acids obtained from fish oil-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-also play an important role in skin function. Although these acids are not present in the normal epidermis, their metabolites (epidermal 15-lipoxygenase transforms EPA into ...
... Compared to our findings, previous studies reported higher values of tocopherol proportions in CPSO [3,4]. However, another study showed that the tocopherol content in CPSO ranges from between 39 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg [20]. The same qualitative findings were reported previously [3]. ...
Objectives:
The chemical composition of cactus pear seed oil (Opuntia ficus-indica [L.] Mill.) was analyzed in terms of its fatty acid composition, tocopherol content, phenolic identification, and the oil's phenolic-rich fraction antioxidant power was determined.
Methods:
Fatty acid profiling was performed by gas chromatography coupled to an FI detector. Tocopherols and phenolic compounds were analyzed by LC-FLD/UV, and the oil's phenolic-rich fraction antioxidant power was determined by phosphomolybdenum, DPPH assay and β-carotene bleaching test.
Results:
Fatty acid composition was marked by a high unsaturation level (83.22 ± 0.34%). The predominant fatty acid was linoleic acid (66.79 ± 0.78%), followed by oleic acid (15.16 ± 0.42%) and palmitic acid (12.70 ± 0.03%). The main tocopherol was γ-tocopherol (172.59 ± 7.59 mg/kg. In addition, Tyrosol, vanillic acid, vanillin, ferulic acid, pinoresinol, and cinnamic acid were identified as phenolic compounds in the analyzed seed oil. Moreover, the oil's phenolics-rich fraction showed a significant total antioxidant activity, scavenged DPPH up to 97.85%, and effectively protected β-carotene against bleaching (97.56%).
Conclusion:
The results support the potential use of cactus pear seed oil as a functional food.
... p < 0.05) stood out in the fatty acid composition. Similar to what was reported by Matthäus and Özcan (2011), the differences in some fatty acid levels among investigated oil samples may be attributed to different environmental conditions, climates, and cultivation methods characterizing the origin sites. ...
Traceability has established itself as an essential tool of the agri-food business to improve consumers’ safety and confidence and support regulatory authorities in food control and fraud detection. Indeed, traceability has extensively demonstrated to profitably unmask frauds in terms of adulteration, species or even cultivar substitution, and not least, product provenance, by combining a variety of advanced analytical techniques with chemometrics. In this chapter, the state-of-the-art of Opuntia ssp. traceability is discussed with particular emphasis to the species Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller and its cultivars, originating from the Mediterranean area. At an earlier stage, studies chemically characterized fruits of the prickly pear cactus and its derived products (i.e., fruit juice and seed oil), already pointing out peculiar compositional profiles in dependence of the geographical provenance or even cultivar. However, only recently, the screening of minerals, volatile and phenolic compounds, was combined with the multivariate statistical analysis in an attempt to purposely trace the geographical origin of O. ficus-indica, as well as the cultivar it belongs. Overall, the traceability platforms designed so far may play a vital role in the product quality and safety assurance system. They revealed to preserve the authenticity of products from O. ficus-indica successfully, thus, protecting consumers against mislabeling and false information.
... Benefits such as reduction in triglycerides and total cholesterol in the bloodstream [48], antiulcerogenic activity [49], improved platelet aggregation [50] and reduced renal dysfunction [51,52] are some of the pieces of clinical and/or experimental evidence associated with the consumption of fig varieties. Other authors have found that extracts from the fruit and its peel and seeds have appreciable amounts of unsaturated fatty acids [53], with antioxidant activity [54,55], anticancer effects [56] and cardioprotective, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antiarrhythmic, hypolipidemic and anti-hyperglycemic activities [57,58]. ...
The use of antimicrobials in meat products is essential for maintaining microbiological stability. The reformulation by substituting synthetic additives for natural ones is an alternative to provide cleaner label products. Therefore, this work performed a literature search about extracts from fruits and agro-industrial waste with antimicrobial activity that can be applied in meat products. Jabuticaba waste extracts are excellent sources of anthocyanins with antimicrobial and pigmentation potential, capable of being applied in meat products such as fresh sausage, without compromising sensory attributes. Residue from grapes is rich in antimicrobial phytochemicals, mainly catechins, epicatechins, gallic acid and procyanidins. Extracts from different grape by-products and cultivars showed inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli O157: H7 and other bacterial strains. Antimicrobial effects against L. monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, S. aureus and E. coli O157: H7 were identified in Opuntia extracts. In addition, its application in hamburgers reduced (p < 0.05) aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas sp. counts, and at a concentration of 2.5%, improved the microbiological stability of salami without causing sensory and texture changes. These data reinforce the possibility of substituting synthetic preservatives for natural versions, a growing trend that requires researching effective concentrations to maintain the sensory and technological properties.
... Generally, Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevicz, and the Halsey isotherm models were applied to analyze the equilibrium adsorption data. However, Elovich equation, intra particle diffusion pseudo first order, and pseudo second order models were used to describe the obtained kinetics results data [44][45][46]. In order to substitute the activated carbon, various renewable materials (plants, agricultural by-products, industrial wastes, etc.) were tested as adsorbents [17,[47][48][49]. ...
Aloe vera plant offers a sustainable solution for the removal of various pollutants from water. Due to its chemical composition, Aloe vera has been explored as coagulant/flocculant and biosorbent for water treatment. Most of the used materials displayed significant pollutants removals depending on the used preparation methods. AV-based materials have been investigated and successfully used as coagulant/flocculant for water treatment at laboratory scale. Selected AV-based materials could reduce the solids (total suspended solids (TSS), suspended solids (SS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and dissolved solids (DS)), turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), heavy metals, and color, with removal percentages varied depending on the coagulant/flocculant materials and on the wastewater characteristics. In the same context, AV materials can be used as biological flocculant for wastewater sludge treatment, allowing good solid–liquid separation and promoting sludge settling. Moreover, using different methods, AV material-based biosorbents were prepared and successfully used for pollutants (heavy metal dyes and phenol) elimination from water. Related results showed significant pollutant removal efficiency associated with an interesting adsorption capacity comparable to other biosorbents derived from natural products. Interestingly, the enzymatic system of Aloe vera (carboxypeptidase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) has been exploited to degrade textile dyes. The obtained results showed high promise for removal efficiencies of various kinds of pollutants. However, results varied depending on the methodology used to prepare the Aloe vera based materials. Because of its valuable properties (composition, abundance, ecofriendly and biodegradable), Aloe vera may be useful for water treatment.
... Compared to other oil seed crops, Opuntia dillenii presented a lower oil content. Indeed, higher amounts were recovered from cotton seeds (15-24%), soybean seeds (17-21%), grape seeds (6-20%), and olives (20-25%) [70]. ...
Opuntia dillenii Ker Gawl. is one of the medicinal plants used for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Morocco. This study aims to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of Opuntia dillenii seed oil (ODSO), its mechanism of action, and any hypoglycemic risk and toxic effects. The antihyperglycemic effect was assessed using the OGTT test in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. The mechanisms of action were explored by studying the effect of ODSO on the intestinal absorption of d-glucose using the intestinal in situ single-pass perfusion technique. An Ussing chamber was used to explore the effects of ODSO on intestinal sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1). Additionally, ODSO’s effect on carbohydrate degrading enzymes, pancreatic α-amylase, and intestinal α-glucosidase was evaluated in vitro and in vivo using STZ-diabetic rats. The acute toxicity test on mice was performed, along with a single-dose hypoglycemic effect test. The results showed that ODSO significantly attenuated the postprandial hyperglycemia in normal and STZ-diabetic rats. Indeed, ODSO significantly decreased the intestinal d-glucose absorption in situ. The ex vivo test (Ussing chamber) showed that the ODSO significantly blocks the SGLT1 (IC50 = 60.24 µg/mL). Moreover, ODSO indu\ced a significant inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidase (IC50 = 278 ± 0.01 µg/mL) and pancreatic α-amylase (IC50 = 0.81 ± 0.09 mg/mL) in vitro. A significant decrease of postprandial hyperglycemia was observed in sucrose/starch-loaded normal and STZ-diabetic ODSO-treated rats. On the other hand, ODSO had no risk of hypoglycemia on the basal glucose levels in normal rats. Therefore, no toxic effect was observed in ODSO-treated mice up to 7 mL/kg. The results of this study suggest that ODSO could be suitable as an antidiabetic functional food.
... Cactus seed oil had an initial peroxide value of 4.59 meq O 2 /kg. If much lower peroxide values have been previously reported (Matthäus and Özcan, 2011;Özcan and Al Juhaimi, 2011) for cactus seed oil, this value is similar to that already reported for Moroccan cactus oil (Zine et al., 2013) and much lower than that determined for South African cactus oil for which a peroxide value as high as 33.6 meq O 2 /kg has been observed (De Wit et al., 2016). The first weeks of storage of cactus seed oil at 60 °C could be identified as the oxidative propagation phase and the cactus oil peroxide value for cactus seed oil reached a maximum value of 9.43 meq O 2 /kg at week 3. ...
Cactus seed oil is gaining considerable popularity in the cosmetic industry. To estimate cactus seed oil’ industrial as well as domestic ease of use, we investigated the oxidative stability of Moroccan cactus seed oil under accelerated aging conditions. In addition, we compared cactus seed oil stability to that of argan oil, a popular and well-established cosmetic oil, under the same conditions. Cactus seed oil is much more sensitive to oxidation than argan oil. Its shelf-life can be estimated to be no longer than 6 months at room temperature. Such instability means that the preparation process for cactus oil must be carried out with great care and cactus seed oil needs to be protected once extracted.
... The prickly pear seeds oil owns the potential of high-quality edible oil with potential health benefits. The major fatty acids of the seed oil were linoleic (C18:2), oleic (C18:1), palmitic (C16:0), and stearic (C18:0) acids [22,29,35,[49][50][51][52]. This shows the interest in the prickly pear as a natural source of edible oil containing essential fatty acids [22,53,54]. ...
Consumer interest in foods with enhanced nutritional quality has increased in recent years. The nutritional and bioactive characterization of fruits and their byproducts, as well as their use in the formulation of new food products, is advisable, contributing to decrease the global concerns related to food waste and food security. Moreover, the compounds present in these raw materials and the study of their biological properties can promote health and help to prevent some chronic diseases. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (prickly pear) is a plant that grows wild in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world, being a food source for ones and a potential for others, but not properly valued. This paper carries out an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds of prickly pear and its constituents, as well as its main biological activities and applications. It is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and bioactive compounds. Many of its natural compounds have interesting biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and antimicrobial. The antioxidant power of prickly pear makes it a good candidate as an ingredient of new food products with fascinating properties for health promotion and/or to be used as natural extracts for food, pharmaceutic or cosmetic applications. In addition, it could be a key player in food security in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, where there are often no more plants.
... Opuntia ficus-indica (Family Cactaceae) is among the most important medicinal plants (Abdel-Hameed et al., 2014) because of the existence of antioxidants (Angulo-Bejarano et al., 2014), nutrition signification (Jana, 2012), fatty acids (Matthaus & Ozcan, 2011;Khatabi et al., 2013 andCejudo-Bastante et al., 2014). The plant can be used in river water and wastewater decontamination through both adsorption and coagulation-flocculation processes (Nharingo & Moyo, 2016). ...
The present study was conducted to investigate the role of using the plant-based wastes as a supplementary diet in improving the hemato-biochemical blood status of Oreochromis niloticus and resistance against mercuric chloride toxicity (0.08 mg/l). Fish were distributed (10 fish/40 liter aquarium) into 8 groups. Control group and MC0.08 group were fed on commercial diet; MC/OFI5% & MC/OFI10% fed on commercial diet supplemented with 5% and 10% Opuntia ficus-indica; MC/MO5% & MC/MO10% fed on diet supplemented with 5% and 10% Moringa Oleifera; and MC/TO5% & MC/TO10% fed on diet supplemented with 5% and 10% Telfairia occidentalis. The experiment extended for 60 days in triplicates.
The obtained results showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in WBCs, MCH, MCHC, glucose, cholesterol, uric acid, triglyceride, creatinine and total bilirubin in MC0.08 group compared to the control group. And a significant decrease in RBCs, HGB, MCV, HCT, protein, albumin and globulin was noticed. Alteration in levels of GOT and GPT was also observed due to the toxic metal exposure. All diet supplementations improved the tested blood parameters (RBCs, HGB, MCV, HCT, protein, albumin, and globulin) compared to MC0.08 group. A reduction was noticed in WBCs, MCH, MCHC, glucose, cholesterol, uric acid, triglyceride, total bilirubin, creatinine, GOT, and GPT. The degree of improvement among the three tested supplementations was arranged as Moringa Oleifera followed by Opuntia ficus-indica and Telfairia occidentalis. It was found that TO10% can be efficient in enhancing fish health and blood characteristics. The dose 10% of MO and OFI were not effective and had no additional benefit. Our findings showed that the use of plant-based wastes as food supplements can improve blood properties and increase the ability of fish to resist the effects of toxins. The use of these materials is particularly promising because they are inexpensive and easily available.
... stearic (3.3-5.4%) acid [181] Argan oil Argania spinosa oleic (43-49%), linoleic (29-36%), palmitic (11-15%), stearic (4-7%) acid [182][183][184] Omega-3 acids obtained from fish oil-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-also play an important role in skin function. Although these acids are not present in the normal epidermis, their metabolites (epidermal 15-lipoxygenase transforms EPA into 15-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid (15-HEPE) and DHA into 17-hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid (17-HDoHE)) accumulate in it after the consumption of fish oil [185]. ...
Human skin is continually changing. The condition of the skin largely depends on the individual’s overall state of health. A balanced diet plays an important role in the proper functioning of the human body, including the skin. The present study draws attention to bioactive substances, i.e., vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, polyphenols, and carotenoids, with a particular focus on their effects on the condition of the skin. The aim of the study was to review the literature on the effects of bioactive substances on skin parameters such as elasticity, firmness, wrinkles, senile dryness, hydration and color, and to define their role in the process of skin ageing.
... The fruit contains a large number of seeds, about 0.24 g/g, constituting about 10-15% of the edible pulp and 30-40% on a dry weight basis [1,7,8]. An edible oil can be obtained from prickly pear seeds, which is rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, of which linoleic acid is the predominant fatty acid, followed by oleic acid [9][10][11]. The consumption of these kinds of fatty acids is related to health benefits and contributes to the improvement of various health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes mellitus, among others [12]. ...
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. is the Cactaceae plant with the greatest economic relevance in the world. It can be used for medicinal purposes, animal nutrition, production of biofuels and phytoremediation of soils. Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the prickly pear has antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer properties. The aim of this study was to determine the polyphenolic, fatty acid and amino acid profile and characterize the antioxidant capacity of seeds of seven Spanish prickly pear cultivars. A total of 21 metabolites, mainly phenolic acids and flavonols, were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography photodiode detector quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS). Significant differences were found in the phenolic concentrations of the investigated varieties. The highest amount of phenolic compounds (266.67 mg/kg dry matter) were found in the “Nopal espinoso” variety, while the “Fresa” variety was characterized by the lowest content (34.07 mg/kg DM) of these compounds. In vitro antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with the amount of polyphenols. The amino acid composition of protein contained in prickly pear seeds was influenced by the variety. Glutamic acid was the predominant amino acid followed by arginine, aspartic acid and leucine, independent of prickly pear variety. Overall, 13 different fatty acids were identified and assessed in prickly pear seeds. The dominant fatty acid was linoleic acid, with content varying between 57.72% “Nopal ovalado” and 63.11% “Nopal espinoso”.
... Cactus plant (Opuntia ficus-indica) of the Cactaceae family, grows native in Mexico and has been used since many of years as source of food. Genus Opuntia contains about 1500 species of cactus which are widespread in Africa, Mediterranean countries, Northern Mexico, Southwestern United States, and other areas (Matthäus and Özcan, 2011). Taoufik et al. (2015) reported that oil content of the seeds from many regions in Morocco ranged between 5.4% and 9.9%. ...
Enhancement of the oxidative stability of cactus seeds oil by blending with moringa seeds oil was investigated during storage period for four weeks at 50 °C. Blends (25, 50 and 75%) of moringa seeds oil with cactus seeds oil were prepared. Fatty acids composition, induction period, peroxide value, specific extinction coefficients (K232 and K270) and tocopherols were studied. Blending moringa seeds oil with cactus seeds oil at 25:75% increases the induction period to 4.06 h while it was 3.16 h in 100% cactus seeds oil. Peroxide values decreased due to increase moringa seeds oil amount in blends. Also, adding moringa seeds oil to cactus seeds oil caused a decrease in K232 and K270 values during the storage period in comparison with 100% cactus seeds oil. α-tocopherol values decreased during storage for all oil blends, while the content of γ-tocopherol in all samples (except moringa seeds oil) increased during storage period reaching the highest level after the third week then it started to decrease. Therefore, the obtained results provided a potential approach to utilize moringa oil to increase the oxidative stability of edible oils.
... Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) miller belongs to the genus Opuntia to the Cactaceae family of the order Caryophyllales, usually named prickly pear or nopal cactus, is the Cactaceae plant with the greatest economic relevance in the world [1], original from arid, and semi-arid regions of America, including Mexico [2] and cultivated as a significant nutrient and food source [3]. It is widely cultivated in the semi-dry area in Algeria for its high adaptation to the harsh desert environment. ...
Objective: This study focuses on the production and evaluation of the physicochemical and sensory qualities of two jams, J1 and J2, produced from Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes. J1 made from cladodes with the addition of lemon juice and J2 made from cladodes with added 1/3 orange pulp and lemon juice. Methods: The moisture content is determined by drying the fresh cladodes in an oven at 103°C. The soluble solids content is determined by measuring the Brix at 20°C using a digital refractometer. Total soluble sugar content was examined using the phenol-sulfuric acid colorimetric method using a spectrophotometer ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy. Sensory evaluation was carried out by 20 panelists. The individual quality features were evaluated using significance factors: Color, texture, aroma, and taste. For instrumental color analysis, the measurement was carried out with the use of spectrophotometer UV-visible, the results were expressed using the CIE (L*, a*, and b*) system. Results: The physical and chemical analysis results give fairly appreciably results on average for total sugars (55.4 and 58.76%), Brix (65 and 67%), humidity (29.79 and 29.89%), and acidity (0.45 and 0.48 g/100 g). The sensory results give for color (3.73 and 6.42), for taste (4.89 and 5.21), for odor (3.00 and 3.57), and texture (4.21 and 4.21). The physicochemical analyses for cladodes showed a rich content for water 92.74, the total sugar content is 5.53. Conclusion: These elaborate jams meet the accepted international standards for jams. The sensory evaluation revealed that J2 was the most appreciate in terms of color, odor, texture, and taste.
... Generally, Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevicz, and the Halsey isotherm models were applied to analyze the equilibrium adsorption data. However, Elovich equation, intra particle diffusion pseudo first order, and pseudo second order models were used to describe the obtained kinetics results data [44][45][46]. In order to substitute the activated carbon, various renewable materials (plants, agricultural by-products, industrial wastes, etc.) were tested as adsorbents [17,[47][48][49]. ...
... During the last decade, growing interest in the use of different plant parts of O. ficus-indica arose, resulting in a large number of scientific papers on the composition of the flowers, fruits, and seeds [5,6,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. To the best of our knowledge, all these studies dealt with seeds and fruits of prickly pear, but only few studies took cactus seed oil into account [6,9,10]. ...
Volatile compounds from oils extracted from cactus seeds (Opuntia ficus-indica) of five regions of Morocco were analyzed by dynamic headspace-GC/MS. Aroma active compounds were characterized by olfactometry. A total of 18 compounds was detected with hexanal, 2-methyl propanal, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetoin and 2,3-butanedione as most abundant. Olfactometric analysis showed that those compounds are aroma active; therefore, cactus seed oil flavor can be attributed to those compounds. Moreover, the effect of roasting of cactus seeds on the composition of volatile compounds in the oil was investigated. Especially the concentration of compounds known as products from the Maillard reaction increased significantly with roasting time such as furfural, furan, 3-methyl furan, 2-butanone, thiophene, 2, 3-dithiabutane, methyl pyrazine, 2-methyl pyrimidine, 2-metoxy phenol, dimethyl trisulfide and 5-methyl furfural.
... Iron and copper are found in trace amounts ( fig. 6). Sawaya et al. (1983) and Matthäus & Özcan (2011) studied the composition of cactus seeds. They reported a high content of mineral elements in sodium (67.6 mg 100 g-1), potassium (163.0 mg 100 g-1), which is in agreement with the results found and presented in fig. 5. ...
The aim of this work is to study the biochemical and microbiological characterization of the prickly pear fruits abandoned in the fields after harvest in order to use it in the animal feed. This work reveal that the skin and pulp have a pH close to neutral (6.83 for the skin and 6.41 for the pulp), they are very rich in water (84.89% for the skin and 87.19% for the pulp), in sugars (31.19 % DM for the skin and 42.17 % DM for the pulp) and in mineral elements (13.7% DM for the skin and 4.46% DM for the pulp). They have average values in NDF, ADF, ADL, cellulose and hemicellulose fibers which values are respectively for the skin 11.72% DM, 7.75% DM, 1.25% DM, 3.98% DM, 6.5% DM and for the pulp 8.50% DM, 5.67% DM, 1.45% DM, 2.84% DM, 4.22% DM. The crude protein content is 4.84% DM for the skin and 10.2% DM for the pulp respectively remains low in comparison with other food by-products such as oilseed meal. The fat content is very low (0.09% DM for the skin and 0.17% DM for the pulp). As for the seeds, the results showed a low content of water (14.6%), mineral elements (1.99% DM), sugars (8.18 % DM) and crude proteins (7.66% DM), high fat contents ( 8.91% DM) and NDF, ADF, ADL, cellulose and hemicellulose fibers wish are respectively 78.18% DM, 62.99% DM, 42.94% DM, 15.19% DM, 20.05% DM. On the microbiological side, the results showed a significant load of microorganisms in this case molds and lactic bacteria which can be exploited in the recovery of these residues. The comparison between the three fractions of the cactus fruit showed that the seed is the richest in dry matter, fat and fiber, while the pulp is the richest in sugars, the skin when it is the richest in calcium.
... Orange types of cactus pear fruits (spiny Opuntia ficus-indica verities) grown in Adigrat, Tigria, Northern Ethiopia, are known with fruit description as ovoid shape, medium (120-150 g) size, flatten scar position of receptacle, yellow-orange peel color, yellow-orange pulp color, and firm pulp (Tesfay, Mulugeta, & Tadesse, 2011). Seeds of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) are rich in mineral contents (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, Mn and Zn) as well as palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids (Al-Juhaimi & Özcan, 2013;Matthäus & Özcan, 2011;Özcan & Al Juhaimi, 2011). Lantana camara plants are flowering ornamental shrub with worldwide distribution in subtropical, tropical, and temperate climates. ...
Fruits and fermentation methods are important sources of organic acids that determine organoleptic properties, microbiological and biochemical stability of fruit wines. This study is aimed at investigating total titrable acidity and organic acids of fruit wines produced by response surface optimization of cactus pear and Lantana camara fruits blend and cactus pear fruit alone. The predictive mathematical model of the blended fruit wine is well fitted (R ² = 0.9618 and absolute average deviation (AAD) = 2.06%). The optimum values of fermentation temperature, inoculum concentration, and Lantana camara fruitjuice concentration to produce predictive total titrable acidity of 0.8% (w/v citric acid) were 24°C, 10% (v/v), and 10.7% (v/v), respectively. The blended fruit wine was with lower total titrable acidity (w/v citric acid) of 0.83 ± 0.058% compared to wine produced from cactus pear fruit alone 1.06 ± 0.27%. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of both produced wines revealed the difference in concentration of citric (±3.35 mg/ml), L‐tartaric (± 3.71 mg/ml), and L‐ascorbic acid (± 0.07 mg/ml). Citric acid was predominant organic acid in both fruit wines, and its content in the cactus pear is 7.09 ± 0.07 mg/ml and blended fruit wine 4.74 ± 0.07 mg/ml.
... and palmitic acid (10.6-20.1%). [49][50][51] Cactus pear pulp can be divided into 15% seeds and 85% strained pulp. The seeds are rich in lipophilic compounds with a large amount of oil (98.8 g/kg dw), while total lipids recovered from lyophilized strained pulp, accounted for 8.70 g/kg. ...
Cactus Opuntia ficus indica is widely distributed in (semi-) arid regions. Fruit and cladodes are processed into many food products. Cladodes are used as vegetables, but their main use is flour, which can partly substitute wheat or corn flour in bread, cookies or cakes. Fruit are mainly transformed into snacks, juices or minimally-processed foods. Mucilage, coloring extracts and antimicrobial extracts are valuable by-products of cactus processing. Fruit and cladodes are characterized by a high antioxidant activity. They contain ferulic acid as the predominant phenolic acid, rutin and isorhamnetin derivatives as the main flavonoids, and betalain pigments, but also lutein and beta-carotene, as the most abundant colored compounds present in skin and pulp. Bakery products containing cladode flour are enriched in fiber, minerals and polyphenols. Processing, through drying, heat treatment or innovative technologies, aims to preserve fruit nutritional and sensory characteristics. In recent years, lactic acid fermentation of plant-based foods demonstrated many benefits. Fermentation modifies vitamin C level, carotenoid, phenolic compound content and antioxidant activity. Moreover, fermentation of cladode pulp showed promising functional feature on inflammatory response through modulation of cytokine secretion. This opens new perspectives for the development of products with health benefits.
... 10 Chemical analysis of O. ficus-indica fruit juice shows the presence of polyphenols, especially flavonoids (rutin and isorhamnetin derivates), and ascorbic acid, making it a good source of vitamin C. 6,10 Many reports show that the seeds, as a byproduct of O. ficus-indica fruit, are good sources of the macro and micro nutrients, 11 natural fiber, fatty acids such as linoleic acid, 12,13 and tocopherols. 14 Scientists have recently reported that opuntia fruit peels also contain considerable amounts of polyphenols. 15,16 Among the most cited properties of phenolic compounds is their antimicrobial activity. ...
Prickly pear fruit peel constitutes a high-percentage of the fruit which could be a natural, economic agro-industrial waste in the nutraceutical industry. This study aimed to isolate and characterize the main constituents, and evaluate its antibacterial activity. A methanol extract was successively fractionated using hexane, chloroform & ethyl acetate. An n-hexane fraction was evaluated for its fatty acid content using GC-MS showing linolenic acid “Omega-3” as the major fatty acid (60.56%), while an ethyl acetate fraction was analyzed using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS resulting in identification of (6) phenolic acids and (9) flavonoids; Caffeic acid (43.69%) and Quercetin (14%) were found the most abundant respectively. An ethyl acetate fraction was subjected to column chromatography resulting in isolation of four flavanols viz astragalin (1), quercetin5,4'-dimethyl ether (2), isorhamentin3-O-glucoside (3) & isorhamentin (4). Antibacterial evaluation revealed that the EtOAc fraction is the most potent active fraction against the selected pneumonia pathogens and quercetin5,4'-dimethyl ether (2) is the most active among the isolated compounds. Virtual docking of the isolated compounds showed promising in silico anti-quorum sensing efficacy; that could represent natural antibacterial agents. These findings indicate that the unused waste part of prickly pear fruits possesses valuable constituents with beneficial potential against some pneumonia pathogens.
... followed by oleic (13.0-23.5%) according to (Matthäus and Özcan, 2011). The same results were given by (Özcan and Al Juhaimi, 2011) who established that linoleic acid was the major fatty acid (61.01%), followed by oleic acid (25.52%) in the OFI oil seeds harvested in Mersin province of Turkey. ...
Many parameters can influence the chemical profiles and the biological activities of seed oils. It was therefore of interest to study Algerian seed oils, whose caharacteristics are not well known. So, the physicochemical properties and nutrient profiles (fatty acids, phytosterols, polyphenols) of seed oils from Pistacia lentiscus L. (PL), Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) mill. (OFI), and Argania spinosa L. Skeels (AS) were determined. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the oils were also characterized. The physicochemical parameters of the oils are closely related to the standard values. PL oil is distinguished by its high content of pigments. AS and OFI oils were dominated by linoleic acid, at 39.1 ± 0.5 and 55.8 ± 0.6%, respectively, while the oleic acid (41.2 ± 0.4%) was the major fatty acid in the oil of PL. The analysis of phytosterol levels showed that β-sitosterol was present in high amounts in the three oils, of 387.44 ± 3.04, 87.92 ± 0.72 and 58.79 ± 1.19 mg/100 g of oil in OFI, AS and PL oils, respectively. The characterization of phenolics revealed only the presence of protocatechuic acid in the PL oil and p-coumaric and t-cinnamic acids in AS oil. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by using the phosphomolybdate assay and the scavenger activity of the DPPH• radical. PL and OFI oils showed the highest antioxidant capacity compared with AS. Very weak antibacterial and antifungal effects, evaluated against four bacterial and six fungal strains, were found. Given the chemical characteristics and antioxidant properties of Algerian PL, OFI and AS seed oils, our results highlight the potential benefit of these oils for human health.
... Cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae originated from arid and semi-arid zones. The Cactaceae family consists of large number of genera and species, which were found in many regions over the world (South America, North Africa, Australia, Asia, etc) (De Leo et al 2010, Matthaus and Ozcan 2011, Finti et al 2013, Abdel- Hameed et al 2014, Betatache et al 2014, Osuna-martinez et al (2014, Saravanakumar et al 2015). Cactus parts mainly, cladodes, fruits, and flowers of different species have been well studied and characterized. ...
Cactus is cultivated in many regions over the world. Because of its chemical composition and its valuable nutritional and biological characteristics, cactus finds applications in different sectors such as the pharmaceutical and the food industries. Interestingly, cactus materials (cladodes, fruit seeds, peel, etc) have been explored for their probable use as adsorbents for the removal of toxic heavy metals and dyes from wastewater. Various preparations methods were used to produce cactus material-based biosorbents. These biosrbents have been investigated and successfully used for the elimination of both heavy metal and dyes from aqueous solutions. Related results showed very promising pollutant removal efficiency associated with an interesting adsorption capacity similar to other materials from various origins. This paper explores various cactus biosorbents preparations. Furthermore, their efficiency in depollution and factors controlling the adsorption capacity will be discussed.
Fruit seeds that are by-products of the fruit processing industry are a potential, economical but neglected source of oil. The extraction of oil from waste fruit seeds is not common, and ultrasound offers an effective, green, and environment friendly alternative extraction technology that can give a higher yield (%) in less time at mild operating conditions. Although ultrasound offers significant intensification benefits, its effect on the quality of oil extracted from fruit seeds needs to be evaluated and also compared with the traditional extraction process without ultrasound. The review provides the readers with in-depth knowledge about the use of ultrasound in the extraction of fruit seed oil including the mechanism involved, the lipid profile of various fruit seed oils, interactions of ultrasound and solvent, equipment for the application of ultrasound, the effect of operating conditions, and recommendations to minimize the negative effects of ultrasound on the quality of extracted oil followed by the path ahead for this technology development. It has been elucidated that the seeds of fruits contain oil rich in polyunsaturated and essential fatty acids, thus forming an important source. Ultrasound can be effectively applied for intensified extraction of oil based on the mechanism of rupturing of the cell wall and increased rate of mass transfer. Importantly, the composition and content of fatty acids along with the antifungal/antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics are maintained based on optimum selection of operating conditions.
The goal of the present work is to evaluate the nutritive quality, chemical composition and antioxidant potential of red and green Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) peel extracts. Mineral analysis showed that the green peels exhibited the greatest concentrations of potassium, calcium and magnesium. Our findings showed that linoleic and linolenic acids were the major constituents (29.18 and 29.27%, respectively) followed by palmitic acid (20.82%) in the green peels, whereas linoleic acid (28.76%) was the predominant one followed by palmitic (25.74%) and linolenic (24.72%) acids in the red peels. The green and red peels’ lipids contained 44.43 g/kg and 64.31 g/kg of phytosterols and triterpenols, respectively. The sterol marker was β-sitosterol representing more than 55% of the entire sterol content in the two peels followed by campesterol and stigmasterol. Tocopherol amounts were 656.895 and 813.025 mg/kg for the green and red peels, respectively. Methanol extracts of defatted peels showed high amounts of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and expressed strong antioxidant capacity. Red peels extract displayed the largest values of TPC = 143.32 mg GAE/g, TFC = 37.06 mg QE/g, DPPH IC50 = 327.72 μg/mL and FRAP EC50 = 302.43 μg/mL.
The objective of the present work was to evaluate the changes in morphological and physicochemical characteristics of Moroccan prickly pear cultivars at three different stages of maturity. The results of morphological study showed that the width, length, skin thickness, diameter and depth of receptacle differed significantly depending the cultivars and did not differ significantly depending the maturity. Other parameters such as the weight of the pulp, the skin and the whole fruit differed significantly depending on the cultivars and the maturity; they increased with advance in maturity, while the proportions of skin decreased. For the physicochemical analyzes, the results showed that moisture, pH, Brix, vitamin C, total sugar and fat have a significant difference between the cultivars and maturity; they increased with advance in maturity, while the percentage of fat decreased. However, no important differences were observed in ash, reducing and non-reducing sugars between the stages of ripeness of the fruits.
The cactus pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill.) is a product that has been recognized for the health benefits that it can provide, and it has also drawn scientific interest for several years. The objective of this study is to identify chemically the residues (Cakes oil) of Opuntia ficus indica l seed oil of eastern region of Morocco. A mechanical extraction is used to obtained this oil residues then we used maceration for the analysis extraction. Various phytochemical assays were used to determine the qualitative chemical composition, which was subsequently characterized using GC–MS and HPLC-DAD, LC-MS/MS. According to GC–MS analyses, which allow the identification of tree major fatty acids, (linoleic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid), linoleic acid is abundant (37.218 %) for OFI seeds oil on the contrary, oleic acid is abundant (27.169 %) for OFI. HPLC-DAD analysis allows the identification of tocopherols, with the γ-tocopherols is the major tocopherol for with 310.01 ± 3.33 mg/Kg, the LC-MS/MS allow the identification of polyphenols and flavonoids, Among phenolic acids, residues of OFI was marked by the predominant of syringic acid (18.33 %), Arbutin (14.46 %), oleuropein (11.50 %) and p coumaric acid with (7.10 %).
Zizyphus lotus L. seeds contain a high amount of lipids representing a rich source of health promoting components. However, the chemical composition is influenced by several factors for instance the geographic location of the plant. This study focused on the evaluation of the effect of the plant location on the fatty acids and tocopherols composition as well as the antioxidant activities of the cold-pressed oils extracted from Zizyphus lotus L. seeds. Physical properties of oil seeds were also investigated. The results revealed that the lipid fraction yield ranged from 20.13 to 24.57% (w/w) for samples harvested from Siliana and Sidi Bouzid, respectively. We identified ten fatty acids, among which oleic acid was the major component in all analysed samples, accounting for 60.45–70.36% of the total fatty acids, followed by linoleic acid (16.40–19.40%) and palmitic acid (5.02–12.60%). Besides, the total tocopherol amounts varied from 168.26 to 241.41 mg/100 g of oil, with β-tocopherol as the main component and compositional ratio differences between regions were noticed. Furthermore, remarkable values of DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activities were obtained. A cluster analysis highlighted differences attributed to the origin of the sample, which could be considered as an efficient tool for cultivar authenticity purposes and valorization. The obtained results are of great economic interest and could increase the demand for Zizyphus lotus L. seed oil for potential applications in the food, cosmetic and medicinal industries.
Plant extracts are essential substances and explored for their natural active ingredients, which have different properties including nutritional, antioxidant and healing. Opuntia spp. are primarily grown as a fruit crop that generates huge amounts of seeds from which oils can be extracted. The seed oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, phenolics, and vitamins and included in the human diet to contribute to health. It has also been used in traditional folk medicine because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. It can also potentially be used by the food industry to manufacture natural or green safe food with an extended shelf-life. O. ficus-indica oil was found to be effective in cutaneous wound healing, while the antimicrobial effect prevented infections. The oil is a valued cosmetic ingredient because of its skin and hair hydration action. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid and a precursor of arachidonic acid biosynthesis, which is the substrate for eicosanoid synthesis. Linoleic acid has beneficial properties for the skin and also has hypocholesterolemic effects. Polyunsaturated fatty acids alleviate symptoms of coronary heart disease, stroke and rheumatoid arthritis. Sterols lower blood LDL cholesterol. This chapter reports extensively on the composition of Opuntia seed oils from different species and its food and non-food applications.
The Opuntia, commonly known as cactus pear or prickly pear, belongs to the Cactaceae family and is widely distributed either as indigenous, alien, wild, or domesticated species in various countries across the world. Seeds are usually removed as waste products from the fruit pulp and can constitute important new oil source. The Opuntia seed oil, commonly called prickly pear seed oil, has been extracted using maceration-percolation, Soxhlet, cold pressing, supercritical carbon dioxide, and ultrasound extraction, for which yields of 1–20% have been reported. Opuntia ficus-indica is the most common Opuntia species for which the physicochemical characteristics, the composition of fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols have been reported. The main fatty acids of prickly pear seed oil are palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. Environmental conditions and maturation stages of prickly pear have effects on the properties of the oil. High levels of sterols are present, with β-sitosterol as the dominant sterol. The dominant tocopherol is γ-tocopherol. The oil exhibited a high in vitro antioxidant potential, and with its reported phenolic content, it has various health and cosmetics applications.
Cactus pear seed oil is a novel and essential oil. Progressive expansion on the extraction and refining of cactus pear seed oil has been made in recent years. This was and is done to expand the market and use of cactus pear seeds in countries producing Opuntia spp. cactus. The seed oil is an excellent source of bio-active substances such as essential fatty acids, sterols, phenolics, tocopherols and carotenoids. It is predicted that non-traditional cold-pressed oils’ use in the cosmetic and nutraceutical market will increase, and as a result, advanced extraction methods need to be explored. Conventional extraction methods generally use heat, maceration, agitation and long extraction times, e.g. solvent extraction, while microwave, supercritical fluids, e.g. CO2, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction as well as hydro-distillation are unconventional methods. These methods all exert a physical effect on the sample. This chapter will report on the effect of extraction methods on oil yield, fatty acid composition and nutraceutical properties of seed oil from various Opuntia spp.
Cactus (Opuntia ficus‐indica L.) seed oil, which is extracted from prickly pear fruit seeds, might constitute an alimentary source of substances of nutraceutical value. Physicochemical properties, chemical composition, antioxidant activity and oxidative stability of prickly pear seed oil prepared from unroasted seeds were evaluated and compared with those of oil that was prepared from seeds roasted for different times. Prolonged roasting time had no significant influence on the protein content of the seeds. However, an increase in total phenolic compounds was observed from 225.9 mg GAE/100 g oil to 362.7 mg GAE/100 g oil after 40 min of roasting at 110°C. Consequently, an increase in antioxidant power which will induce a better resistance to oxidation was found by the DPPH method expressed as EC50 value that was reduced from 0.6 mg/mL to 0.1 mg/mL. No significant change was observed in triacylglyceride and fatty acid composition whereas tocopherol (512.8 mg/kg to 542.1 mg/kg after 40 min of roasting) and sterol (8292 mg/kg to 8629 mg/kg after 40 min of roasting) levels increased. Oxidative stability increased remarkably from 3.1 h to 7.6 h after 40 min of roasting with the increase in roasting time. The current study revealed that prickly pear seeds and the resulting oil have excellent nutritional qualities that were significantly elevated after roasting.
The genotypic diversity of 17 cacti species were examined and grouped in four clusters using seven inter
simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Group representatives (five species) were chosen for AuNPs synthesis
in the cacti syrups. To synthesize the Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), reducing and capping potential
of five species of cacti rich in the polyphenolics were explored. Based on the synthesized AuNPs traits
(concentration, pH, temperature, and synthesis time), Opuntia pycnacantha with the highest absorption
peak at 540 nm was chosen for further characterizations. Varieties of diffraction peaks confirmed the successful
synthesis of AuNPs. AuNPs functionalization with the phenolic compounds was confirmed by
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. At the optimum conditions (pH = 5.0 and T = 60 �C), both
dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed more than 87% of
AuNPs to be 2.5 nm in size with Zeta potential to be equal to �19.9 mV.
This study focuses on yields, chemical quality, composition, and the stability of the fatty acids of the oil extracted from Opuntia ficus indica seeds, collected from the eastern region of Morocco, regardless of the temperature and the extraction method used. The results of this study reveal that prickly pear is a rich source of oil. The obtained oil yields varied from 12.49%±0.09 for the mechanical extraction, 11.46±0.10 for the chemical extraction, and 10.52%±0.09 for the maceration. The main fatty acids found in O. Ficus indica are linoleic acid 75.80%±0.10 (Chemical), 74.07%±0.14 (Maceration) and 71.59%±0.14 (Mechanical), and palmitic acid 17.32%±0.02 (Chemical) 22.419% ±0.06 (Maceration) and 26.58% ±0.00 (Mechanical). So the oil of prickly pear could be classified as a linoleic.
Among the Tocopherols founded, a high value of b-tocopherol has been detected in the mechanical extraction with 502.04±0,76 mg/kg followed by the chemical and the maceration extraction with (430.12±0.61mg/kg, 315.47± 0.96 mg/kg) respectively. The findings of the present study reveal that the oil of O. ficus indica could be used in cosmetics and pharmacological products.
This research analyzed the volatile composition of the fruits pulp of six prickly pear cultivars (NT, NE, NO, NA, FR, and ORI) growing in Spain, by headspace solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatography (GC‐MS and GC‐FID). A total of 35 compounds were isolated, identified, and quantified, with aldehydes, alcohols, and terpenes being the predominant chemical families, and esters, ketones, linear hydrocarbons, and terpenoids being also found. Nonanol, 2,6‐nonadienal, 1‐hexanol, 2‐hexenal, and D‐limonene were the predominant compounds. NT and FR cultivars showed the highest concentration of total volatile compounds. On the other hand, NE and NO cultivars presented the lowest concentration. Future studies on sensory evaluation are required to determine the sensory quality of the fruits of these Spanish cultivars.
The cacti of Canada include four taxa: Escobaria vivipara var. vivipara, Opuntia fragilis var. fragilis, O. humifusa, and O. polyacantha var. polyacantha. These species are well adapted to survive the freezing temperatures prevalent during the long Canadian winters. Although they are widely distributed in the southern portion of the country, some species are rare or uncommon at the provincial level, e.g., E. vivipara var. vivipara in Saskatchewan and O. polyacantha var. polyacantha in British Columbia. O. humifusa is listed as rare at the national level but is common in the U.S. This paper presents an overview of the taxonomy, distribution, current status, and traditional aboriginal and modern uses of Canadian cacti. It also discusses the reproductive strategies and the correlation in the distribution of cacti at high latitudes with chromosome number variation (polyploidy).
Prickly pear fruit seeds were subjected to a range of chemical analyses during their 15 week maturation period. Seeds contained on average 71.5 g kg−1 dry matter, 61.9 g kg−1 crude oil, 9.4 g kg−1 protein, 507.4 g kg−1 crude fibre, 12.3 g kg−1 ash and 409.0 g kg−1 carbohydrate. The fatty acid composition of prickly pear seed oil consisted of 1.3–1.9 g kg−1 myristic (14:0), 132.1–156.0 g kg−1 palmitic (16:0), 14.4–18.5 g kg−1 palmitoleic (16:1), 33.1–47.9 g kg−1 stearic (18:0), 210.5–256.0 g kg−1 oleic (18:1), 522.5–577.6 g kg−1 linoleic (18:2), 2.9–9.7 g kg−1 linolenic (18:3), 4.2–6.6 g kg−1 arachidic (20:0) and 2.1–3.0 g kg−1 behenic (22:0) acids, which is comparable with that of corn oil. No statistical difference in seed weight ratio was determined during the maturation period, whereas changes in the saturated fatty acids of the seed oil were observed. From this study it can be concluded that the seeds of prickly pear are suitable as animal feed. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Seeds originating from some Turkish sources were analyzed with respect to their characteristics and FA compositions. These
seeds represented pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), bitter grourd (Momordica charantia L.), pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.), catalpa (Catalpa bignonoides), bourdaine (Rhamnus frangula L.), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), sarsaparilla (Smilax aspera), mahaleb (Prunus mahaleb L.), black-thorn (Prunus spinosa L.), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.), and firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea). Bitter gourd and bourdaine seeds contain more than 20% oil. Catalpa, bourdaine, Oregon grape, blackthorn, and cherry laurel
seed oil contents ranged from 15 to 20%. In the seeds from plants belonging to the Rosacea family, oil content ranged from
4.5 to 18.5%. Among the seed oils analyzed, pot marigold had one of the lowest oil contents (5.9%). Pomegranate contained
the highest amount of total conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA) (86.0%). Seed oils of bitter grourd, pot marigold, mahaleb, and
catalpa were rich in CLNA: 60.0, 29.5, 27.6, and 27.5%, respectively. Bourdaine, Oregon grape, and sarsaparilla seeds contained
low amounts of CLNA. On the other hand, mahaleb, bourdaine, catalpa, Oregon grape, sarsaparilla, cherry laurel, blackthorn,
and firethorn seed oils are basically oleic and linoleic acid-rich oils and therefore have little drying ability (semidrying
oil). The results show a potential for the use of endogenous Turkish seeds as a source of CLNA.
The lipid fraction of Opuntia ficus indica seeds was extracted and analyzed for its chemical and physical properties such as acid value, free fatty acid percentage
(% FFA), iodine index, peroxide value, and saponification value as well as refractive index and density. The yield of seed
oil was calculated as 11.75%. The acid and free fatty acid values indicated that the oil has a fairly low acidity. The triacylglycerols,
fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols were identified and their concentrations determined. The main TAGs were LLL (25.60%),
OLL (21.53%), PLL (15.53%), and POL + SLL (12.73%). Linoleic acid (60.69%) was the dominant fatty acid, followed by oleic
(21.42%) and palmitic (12.76%) acids, respectively. A high level of sterols making up 16.06 g/kg seed oil was present. The
sterol marker, β-sitosterol, accounted for 71.60% of the total sterol content in the seed oil. Among the tocopherols present
in the oil, γ-tocopherol (421.08 mg/kg) was the main constituent.
Compositions and concentrations of fatty acids, lipid classes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins and β-carotene were determined in extracted lipids from prickly pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill] peel. Total lipids (TL) recovered were found to be 36.8 g kg−1 (on dry weight basis). The level of neutral lipids was the highest, followed by glycolipids and phospholipids, respectively. Among the TL, linoleic acid was the dominating fatty acid, while oleic and palmitic acids were estimated to be in relatively equal amounts. Compared with the neutral lipids, the polar fractions were generally characterised by higher percentages of saturated fatty acids and lower percentages of unsaturated fatty acids in all subclasses. Concerning trienes, γ-linolenic acid was present at 8.60% of TL, while α-linolenic acid was present at 0.69%. Recovered lipids were characterised by a high percentage of unsaponifiables (12.8% TL) and found to be a rich source of vitamin E and sterols. Free sterols accounted for ca. 29% of the total unsaponifiables, wherein β-sitosterol and campesterol were the major sterols. In terms of vitamin E, α-tocopherol constitutes about 80.0% of total vitamin E present, the rest being β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols in decreasing order. Moreover, lipids under investigation were characterised by a high levels of β-carotene and vitamin K1. The information obtained in the present investigation is useful for characterising lipid of prickly pear peel and further chemical and nutritional investigations of prickly pear peel. The results are also important for industrial utilisation of the major by-product of the fruit.
Seeds and pulp of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) were compared in terms of fatty acids, lipid classes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins and β-carotene. Total lipids (TL) in lyophilised seeds and pulp were 98.8 (dry weight) and 8.70 g/kg, respectively. High amounts of neutral lipids were found (87.0% of TL) in seed oil, while glycolipids and phospholipids occurred at high levels in pulp oil (52.9% of TL). In both oils, linoleic acid was the dominating fatty acid, followed by palmitic and oleic acids, respectively. Trienes, γ- and α-linolenic acids, were estimated in higher amounts in pulp oil, while α-linolenic acid was only detected at low levels in seed oil. Neutral lipids were characterised by higher unsaturation ratios, while saturates were higher levels in polar lipids. The sterol marker, β-sitosterol, accounted for 72% and 49% of the total sterol content in seed and pulp oils, respectively. Vitamin E level was higher in the pulp oil than in the seed oil, whereas γ-tocopherol was the predominant component in seed oil and δ-tocopherol was the main constituent in pulp oil. β-Carotene was also higher in pulp oil than in seed oil. Oils under investigation resembled each other in the level of vitamin K1 (0.05% of TL). Information provided by the present work is of importance for further chemical investigation of cactus pear oil and industrial utilisation of the fruit as a raw material of oils and functional foods.
Opuntia boldinghii Britton and Rose, is a Cactaceae distributed in Venezuelan semiarid and coastal regions. In this research, the proximate composition showed: moisture 7.66 %; ethereal extract 5.53 g/100 g; protein (N x 6.25) 2.89 g/100 g; total ash 2.53 g/100 g; crude fiber 16.26 g/100 g. Minerals determined were: calcium 0.59 mg/100 g; phosphorus 24.93 mg/100 g; potassium 2.80 mg/100 g; iron 1.34 mg/100 g. Total carotenoids value was 0.92 mg/100 and vitamin C concentration was 4.15 mg ascorbic acid/100 g. Caloric value was calculated at 349.07 Kcal. Antinutritional factors present were: total tannins 0.33 %; condensed tannins 0.08 % of leucocyanidin equivalent; trypsin inhibitors units 25.26 mg pure inhibited trypsin/g and non-detected saponins. Fatty acids profile showed: linoleic 67.20 %; oleic 18.00 %; palmitic 10.40 %; stearic 3.00 %; palmitoleic 0.50 %. In vitro protein digestibility was 28.15 %. In conclusion, O. boldinghii seeds are an important source of natural fiber and, given its high linoleic acid content, its oils can be used as a nutraceutic agent.
Fruits of "Gialla" first-crop cactus pear ( Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill.) were either wrapped with a heat-shrinkable film or kept unwrapped and stored at 6°C for 3 or 6 weeks, with each period followed by 1 week at 20°C to simulate market conditions. Film wrapping notably reduced weight-loss during storage and shelf-life. Packaging also resulted in a significant reduction of chilling injury (CI) following 3 weeks of storage and throughout the merchandising periods, while after 6 weeks of cold storage, film wrapping led to no beneficial effects on CI incidence, but the percentage of saleable fruit was higher for those that were wrapped compared to the control. The packaged fruit also maintained a better external appearance than did unwrapped fruit. Rots occurred only during the shelf-life period and were not affected by film wrapping. Physiological behaviour and chemical attributes were not influenced by packaging with respect to control.
The lipid composition of chokeberry, black currant and rose hip seeds was investigated. The seeds contain 19.3 g kg⁻¹, 22.0 g kg⁻¹ and 8.2 g kg⁻¹ glyceride oil respectively. The content of phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine, was 2.8 g kg⁻¹, 1.3 g kg⁻¹ and 1.4 g kg⁻¹, respectively. The total amounts of sterols were 1.2 g kg⁻¹, 1.4 g kg⁻¹ and 0.4 g kg⁻¹. The main component was β-sitosterol, followed by campesterol and Δ⁵ -avenasterol. In the tocopherol fraction (55.5 mg kg⁻¹ in chokeberry oil, 249.6 mg kg⁻¹ in black currant oil and 89.4 mg kg⁻¹ in rose hip oil), α-tocopherol predominated in chokeberry oil (70.6 mg kg⁻¹). γ-Tocopherol was the main component in black currant oil (55.4 mg kg⁻¹) and rose hip oil (71.0 mg kg⁻¹). The fatty acid composition of triacylglycerols, individual phospholipids and sterol esters was also identified. In the phospholipids and sterol esters, the more saturated fatty acids, mainly palmitic, stearic, and long chain fatty acids predominated.
Die jeweils vier Tocopherole (T) und Tocotrienole (T3) sowie Plastochromanol-8 (P-8) und BHA wurden bei der HPLC an einer Diol-Säule durch Elution mit n-Hexan/tert-Butylmethylether (96 + 4, v/v) vollständig voneinander getrennt. Sogar für die stellungsisomeren β-und γ-Tocopherole und -Tocotrienole gelang die Trennung bis zur Grundlinie. Die Arbeitsweise wurde mit Erfolg an mehreren pflanzlichen Ölen erprobt, die direkt ohne Aufarbeitung injiziert wurden. Für Getreide wurde eine vereinfachte Extraktionsmethode entwickelt und der Gehalt an T, T3 und P-8 von 9 Getreidearten bestimmt. Das Trenn-system war über sechs Monate hinweg stabil.
HPLC Separation of Tocopherols and Tocotrienols
The four tocopherols (T) and four tocotrienols (T3) as well as plastochromanol-8 (P-8) and BHA were separated completely by eluting them from a HPLC diol-column with n-hexane/methyl tert-butylether (96 : 4, v/v). Even for the β- and γ-tocopherol and -tocotrienol isomers, baseline separation was achieved. The method was verified. The method was verified with success on several plant seed oils which were injected directly without any clean-up. For cereals a simplified extraction method was developed and the T, T3 and P-8 content of 9 cereal crops was determined. The separation system showed a long-term stability over six month.
Diets should contain 1 I.U. Vitamin E/g polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). This requirement is fulfilled in decreasing order by hazel-nut, almond, copra, oilpalm-kernels, oilpalm-mesocarp and maize. In pistachio-nuts, hickory-nuts, groundnuts, walnuts, sesame and poppy-seed the Vit. E/PUFA-ratio is between 0.8 and 0.15. But these figures may vary even within a plant species, because cultivation of 6 sunflower-varieties in temperate and tropical climate as well as the analysis of safflower varieties differing in linoleic acid revealed a genetical and environmental variability of the Vit. E/PUFA-ratio.Fettsäure- und Tocopherol-Muster in ÖlsamenIn der Nahrung sollte 1 I.E. Vitamin E/g mehrfach ungesättigte Fettsäure (PUFA) enthalten sein. Diese Forderung wird in abnehmender Reihenfolge erfüllt von Haselnuß, Mandel, Kopra, Palmkernen, Palmmesokarp und Mais. In Pistazie, Pecannuß, Erdnuß, Walnuß, Sesam und Mohn liegt das Vit. E/PUFA-Verhältnis zwischen 0.8 und 0.15. Allerdings ist dieses Verhältnis selbst innerhalb einer Pflanzenart sehr variabel. Der Anbau von 6 Sonnenblumensorten in gemäßigtem und tropischen Klima, ebenso die Analyse von Saflorsorten, die sich beträchtlich in dem Linolsäureanteil unterschieden, zeigte eine durch Genotyp und Umwelt bedingte große Variabilität des Vit. E/PUFA-Verhältnisses.
Proximate composition and functional properties of prickly pear seed flour (PPS); protein concentrate and the effect of pH on these properties were investigated. The protein content, crude fat and crude fiberof PPS flour and protein concentrate averaged 13.62 and 62.41, 10.43 and 3.57 and 9.23 and 5.31%, respectively. The minimum protein solubility was observed at pH 4.5, as 16. and 15% while maximum protein solubility was observed at pH 11 which as 85 and 92%, repectively. Measurement of emulsion and foaming properties of PPS flour and protein concentrate showed that they are greatly affected by pH levels. The minimum values of both emulsion and foam properties were obtained at pH 4.5 which was the isoelectric point of the protein. The maximum values were obtained at pH 10. PPS flour and its protein concentrate had high water and oil absorption (4.71 and 3.16g water/g flour; 2.43 and 3.26 g oil/g flour, respectively) and protein concentrate tended to have higher values than those of PPS flour.
Attempts were made to use prickly pear fruits, Opuntia ficus-indica, which are locally abundant and relatively inexpensive in the manufacturing of jam.
Physical characterization of the strained pulp showed a value of 14.2° Brix for total soluble solids (TSS), 14.5% total solids and a pH of 5.75. The acidity of the pulp as citric acid was 0.18%. Proximate analysis revealed low amounts of protein (0.21%) as Nx6.25, crude fat (0.12%), crude fibre (0.02%), ash (0.44%) and pectin (0.19%). All the sugars were present as reducing sugars (12.8%) and consisting mainly of glucose and fructose (60:40). Vitamin analysis showed only trace amount of vitamin A @-carotene) and 22.1 mg% of vitamin C. The pulp was rich in potassium, fair in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and poor in sodium and iron.
Pilot plant studies on the manufacturing of the jam in conjunction with sensory evaluation of the final products showed that blanching in comparison to non-blanching resulted in no significant difference in the sensory quality of the jam. Citric acid and a combination of citric and tartaric acids (1 :l) wcrc preferred over several other natural acids used as acidifying agents. The addition of cloves, grapefruit, orange and almond flavours ranked best among several other flavours added in addition to the pulp containing 20% date paste.
Oil extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica seeds constituted 13.6% of the whole seed. Results of the physical and chemical analyses of the oil for refractive index, iodine number, saponification number, Reichert-Meissl number, Hehner value, acid value and unsaponifiable matter compared well with the characteristics of other commonly consumed vegetable oils. Thin-layer chromatography in conjunction with gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed a relatively high degree of unsaturation, 82%, with a linoleic acid content of 73.4% followed by palmitic, 12%, oleic 8.8% and stearic acid, 5.8%. Based on these results, Opuntia ficus-indica seed oil appears to be a good potential source of edible oil for human and/or animal consumption.
The lipid composition of chokeberry, black currant and rose hip seeds was investigated. The seeds contain 19.3 g kg−1, 22.0 g kg−1 and 8.2 g kg−1 glyceride oil respectively. The content of phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine, was 2.8 g kg−1, 1.3 g kg−1 and 1.4 g kg−1, respectively. The total amounts of sterols were 1.2 g kg−1, 1.4 g kg−1 and 0.4 g kg−1. The main component was β-sitosterol, followed by campesterol and Δ5 -avenasterol. In the tocopherol fraction (55.5 mg kg−1 in chokeberry oil, 249.6 mg kg−1 in black currant oil and 89.4 mg kg−1 in rose hip oil), α-tocopherol predominated in chokeberry oil (70.6 mg kg−1). γ-Tocopherol was the main component in black currant oil (55.4 mg kg−1) and rose hip oil (71.0 mg kg−1). The fatty acid composition of triacylglycerols, individual phospholipids and sterol esters was also identified. In the phospholipids and sterol esters, the more saturated fatty acids, mainly palmitic, stearic, and long chain fatty acids predominated.© 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
The main biochemical function of the tocopherols is believed to be the protection of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) against
peroxidation. A critical question that must be asked in reference to this is whether there is a biochemical link between the
tocopherol levels and the degree of unsaturation in vegetable oils, the main source of dietary PUFA and vitamin E. We used
a mathematical approach in an effort to highlight some facts that might help address this question. Literature data on the
relative composition of fatty acids (16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, and 18:3) and the contents of tocopherols (α-, β-, δ-,
and γ-tocopherol) in 101 oil samples, including 14 different botanical species, were analyzed by principal-component analysis
and linear regression. There was a negative correlation between α- and γ-tocopherols (r=0.633, P<0.05). Results also showed a positive correlation between linoleic acid (18:2) and α-tocopherol (r=0.549, P<0.05) and suggested a positive correlation between linolenic acid (18:3) and γ-tocopherol.
During the last decade the prickly pear has become an important fruit crop in the semi-arid lands of Mexico, where it plays a strategic role in subsistence agriculture. The cultivated plants are grown in modern organized plantations and in the backyards of rural homes. Among the cultivated varieties there are differences in fruit ripening time, fruit size and quality. Most of the varieties show ripening from July to September. Fruit weight varies from 144 to 240 g and the fruits with the higher weight are found in varieties that produce clear-green fruits. The nutritive value of most varieties compares favourably with other fruit crops. Variation is also found in the seed oil content; most of the fatty acids are unsaturated with linoleic acid as the main acid present. The backyards of rural homes in the semi-arid regions of Mexico constitute authentic reservoirs of prickly pear germplasm that could be valuable for future breeding programs. The opportunity and need for basic and applied research in prickly pear, oriented to improving fruit quality, adaptability and the industrial transformation of both vegetative and reproductive parts, is also discussed.
Prickly pear fruits constituted valuable foodstuff for humans and animals in arid and semi-arid regions. Two species of prickly pear from Tunisia, Opuntia ficus indica and Opuntia stricta, were investigated for fatty acid composition and physicochemical parameters of the seed oil. No significant difference in either physical or chemical parameters was found between the species. The main fatty acids of prickly pear seed oil were C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2. With an exceptional level of linoleic acid, up to 70%, the content of unsaturated fatty acids was high, at 88.5% and 88.0% for O. ficus indica and O. stricta, respectively.Rheological properties were analysed with changes of temperature and shear stress. Variations of viscosity were measured and the viscoelastic parameters were determined during heating and cooling cycles between 20 and 70 °C. Curves of flow were established with up and down cycles of shear stress at different temperatures. These measures highlighted the presence of large aggregates of crystal fatty acids in both Opuntia crude oils. Shearing and temperature destroyed this structural state and gave birth to an homogeneous stable suspension.The structural state of crude oil was confirmed using a contrast phase microscope, and the particle size distribution was obtained by laser granulometry.
The proximate composition of pulp, skin and seeds of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) was investigated and is reported on a dry weight basis. The most abundant component of the pulp and skin was ethanol-soluble carbohydrates. Pulp contained glucose (35%) and fructose (29%) while the skin contained essentially glucose (21%). Protein content was 5.1% (pulp), 8.3% (skin) and 11.8% (seeds). Starch was found in each of the three parts of the fruit. Pulp fibers were rich in pectin (14.4%), skin and seeds were rich in cellulose (29.1 and 45.1%, respectively). Skin was remarkable for its content of calcium (2.09%) and potassium (3.4%). Prickly pear is a neglected nutritional source which should be more widely used because of its potential nutrient contribution.
In traditional medicine extracts of polysaccharide-containing plants are widely employed for the treatment of skin and epithelium wounds and of mucous membrane irritation. The extracts of Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes are used in folk medicine for their antiulcer and wound-healing activities. The present study describes the wound-healing potential of two lyophilized polysaccharide extracts obtained from O. ficus-indica (L.) cladodes applied on large full-thickness wounds in the rat. When topically applied for 6 days, polysaccharides with a molecular weight (MW)>10(4)Da from O. ficus-indica cladodes induce a beneficial effect on cutaneous repair in this experimental model; in particular the topical application of O. ficus-indica extracts on skin lesions accelerates the reepithelization and remodelling phases, also by affecting cell-matrix interactions and by modulating laminin deposition. Furthermore, the wound-healing effect is more marked for polysaccharides with a MW ranging 10(4)-10(6)Da than for those with MW>10(6)Da, leading us to suppose that the fine structure of these polysaccharides and thus their particular hygroscopic, rheologic and viscoelastic properties may be essential for the wound-healing promoter activity observed.
The chemical composition (fatty acids, tocopherols, and sterols) of the oil from 14 samples of turpentine (Pistacia terebinthus L.) fruits is presented in this study. The oil content of the samples varied in a relatively small range between 38.4 g/100 g and 45.1 g/100 g. The dominating fatty acid of the oil is oleic acid, which accounted for 43.0 to 51.3% of the total fatty acids. The total content of vitamin E active compounds in the oils ranged between 396.8 and 517.7 mg/kg. The predominant isomers were alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, with approximate equal amounts between about 110 and 150 mg/kg. The seed oil of P. terebinthus also contained different tocotrienols, with gamma-tocotrienol as the dominate compound of this group, which amounted to between 79 and 114 mg/kg. The total content of sterols of the oils was determined to be between 1341.3 and 1802.5 mg/kg, with beta-sitosterol as the predominent sterol that accounted for more than 80% of the total amount of sterols. Other sterols in noteworthy amounts were campesterol, Delta5-avenasterol, and stigmasterol, which came to about 3-5% of the total sterols.