Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.) as a Natural Source of Bioactive Compounds for Functional Food Fortification: A Comprehensive Chemical, Technological, and Sensory Study.

Functional fiber-fortified meals are becoming a worldwide trend as they help to avoid numerous ailments like obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. Natural, functional nutraceuticals with therapeutic characteristics are highly sought after when creating nutritious food products. On the other hand, we can utilize and recycle fruit waste as a natural, economically viable source of healthful fiber. The prickly pears (including the pulp, peels, and seeds) were analyzed for chemical composition, minerals content as well as their nutritional properties such as polyphenols, vitamins and pigments and their potential utilization in preparing some functional food products. The results of the chemical analysis of the prickly pear parts showed that the chemical composition of the various parts varied. The pulp of the prickly pear was notable for its high content of carbohydrates (93.38%) and fibers (68.20%), but the seeds contained the highest percentages of protein (10.66%) and fats (15.40%). However, the peels had the highest concentrations of beta-carotene (1.17 m/00g) and antioxidants (88.23%). The study evaluated the sensory properties of processed foods containing prickly pear pulp, peels, and seeds. Results showed differences in receptivity, color, odor, and texture based on the percentage added. Cakes and Cerelac showed the most receptive percentages when adding 30% of prickly pear peels, while biscuits and noodles had the most acceptable percentages when adding 20%. The results of sensory evaluation of cakes, biscuits, and noodles cerelac, jam, and syrup showed significant differences in terms of taste, flavor, and general acceptance.