Prickly pear glochids: Waste generation, properties and utilization potential

In the prickly pear cactus production system, waste derived from prickly pear processing is discarded. Nowadays, agricultural production processes must be integrated into circular economy models as an opportunity to minimize environmental impacts and contribute to the sustainability of the system, an objective that is achieved through the development of co-products, i.e., creating added value to waste. The volume of glochids waste produced during the cleaning of the fruit is important not only because of the negative ecological impact of its disposal, but also because of the loss of material that is not used, to the detriment of the sustainability of the production system. The objective of this research was to gather available information regarding the physical characterization, chemical and nutritional properties, potential agronomic use and validation of co-products proposed for their possible use. This article presents key information for agribusiness management of one of the most significant and difficult to manage wastes for the prickly pear cactus production system.