Articles
Cactus pear and other cacti: processed foods for the climate change
Article number
1452_34
Pages
255 – 264
Language
English
Abstract
Cactus pear or nopal (Opuntia spp.), the most well-known and consumed cacti in the world, can feed many people and animals in these times of climate change.
Other cacti produce attractive fruits such as pitahayas (Selenicereus undatus, white pulp and Selenicereus costaricenses, red pulp) and pitayas (Stenocereus spp.), and there are also some less known species as copao (Eulychnia acida Phil.) and rumba (Corryocactus brevistylus), native to northern Chile, among other cacti fruits.
All of them can be processed to extend their shelf life and produce natural foods and ingredients such as colorants and thickeners.
The technologies used to process fruits and pads can be simple and low-cost and could benefit small-scale rural farmers or are complex and expensive to get special ingredients or food products, and in both cases of good quality and safety.
Among the simple technologies are various types of drying, air-drying, solar drying and osmo-dehydration, and others such as pickling, canning, concentration, etc., and for the medium and large business, in addition to the technologies already mentioned, the encapsulation or the extrusion process are some examples, and even developing ingredients for the novel molecular gastronomy.
In this text we will give an overview of the current state of processed foods and natural ingredients, obtained from several cacti and their future potential.
We will also address several challenges to be met to diffuse different technological levels to contribute to the better development of small farmers wanting to start rural small-scale initiatives or to supply large food industries with fruits or pads for new products and natural ingredients.
Other cacti produce attractive fruits such as pitahayas (Selenicereus undatus, white pulp and Selenicereus costaricenses, red pulp) and pitayas (Stenocereus spp.), and there are also some less known species as copao (Eulychnia acida Phil.) and rumba (Corryocactus brevistylus), native to northern Chile, among other cacti fruits.
All of them can be processed to extend their shelf life and produce natural foods and ingredients such as colorants and thickeners.
The technologies used to process fruits and pads can be simple and low-cost and could benefit small-scale rural farmers or are complex and expensive to get special ingredients or food products, and in both cases of good quality and safety.
Among the simple technologies are various types of drying, air-drying, solar drying and osmo-dehydration, and others such as pickling, canning, concentration, etc., and for the medium and large business, in addition to the technologies already mentioned, the encapsulation or the extrusion process are some examples, and even developing ingredients for the novel molecular gastronomy.
In this text we will give an overview of the current state of processed foods and natural ingredients, obtained from several cacti and their future potential.
We will also address several challenges to be met to diffuse different technological levels to contribute to the better development of small farmers wanting to start rural small-scale initiatives or to supply large food industries with fruits or pads for new products and natural ingredients.
Authors
C. Sáenz
Keywords
cacti, Opuntia ficus-indica, processing, natural ingredients
Groups involved
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