NATURAL LIQUID SWEETENER FROM CACTUS PEAR: OBTENTION AND CHARACTERISTICS

The use of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus–indica L.) to obtain a new natural liquid sweetener was studied.
Different unit operations to determine the better flow sheet were tested.
The process to obtain the syrup began with the cactus pear’s juice extraction.
Then, the juice (16.5 ºBrix) was enzymatically clarified (different treatments were tested), decolorated and vacuum concentrated until 60 ºBrix.
Physical and chemical characteristics were determined : a_w; reducing sugars (as inverted sugar); glucose (%); ash content (%); sugar composition by TLC of sugars; OD (420 nm) and x,y chromaticity co-ordinates; viscosity (cps) and density (g/ml). Sensory analysis to determine relative sweetness was done.

Physical and chemical characterization of the cactus pear syrup showed a value for reducing sugars of 52.38% (inverted sugar); also showed a pH of 4.31, viscosity of 27.05 cps, a_w of 0.83 and density of 1.2900 g/ml.
Thus, according to these results, it is possible to compare this product with other sweeteners like grape sugar syrups.
The acidity, as citric acid, was 0.74% and the amount of ash was 1.4%. Compared with the traditional sweeteners, these were considered high values; these disparities can be attributed to the different procedures conditions employed.
Sensory evaluation revealed the same relative sweetness for cactus pear syrup and glucose, but lower than fructose, having a value of 67 with respect to sucrose (100).

III International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal

C. Sáenz, P. Mecklenburg, A.M. Estévez, E. Sepúlveda

Opuntia ficus–indica, sugar, prickly pear, sweetener

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.438.18