Bromatological analysis and quantification of calcium oxalates in tender prickly pear flour from different Opuntia cultivars

The average consumption of Opuntia spp. (tender prickly pear) per person in Mexico is 6.3 kg per year due to the convenience of its valuable nutraceutical properties and medicinal benefits and their high concentrations of calcium, fiber, minerals, calcium oxalates, and antioxidants. The Opuntia spp. is used in a wide range of applications, and the food industry has developed flours derived from it as a substitute. The objective of this study was to know the chemical and nutritional qualities of Opuntia (tender prickly pear) prickly pear flour using three Opuntia types, Jalpa, Villanueva and Oreja de Elefante. The tender prickly pear was classified into four ranges of fresh weight, No. 1 (<150 g), No. 2 (150-300 g), No. 3 (300-600 g), and No. 4 (>600 g). The results were subjected to statistical analysis (ANOVA) and mean comparisons using the Tukey method. The chemical and nutrient composition varied according to the variety of prickly pear and tender prickly pear and their stage of ripeness, which correlates with the mass of the cladodes. Results showed that as the weight and degree of ripeness increased, the fiber concentration also increased in the Oreja de Elefante cultivar, having a higher concentration of 9.06% compared to the other cultivars. The calcium oxalates had a negative relationship with age in all Opuntia cultivars. The cultivars showed a higher density of crystals in the upper part and a reduction in crystal density in the basal part, with the Villanueva cultivar having the highest in the upper part with 58.50 calcium oxalate crystals and the middle part with 45.69 calcium oxalates; however, for the basal part the Oreja de Elefante cultivar had the highest concentration with 36.00 calcium oxalate crystals.