Assessment of technological and nutritional qualities of the powder of prickly pear cladodes at four ages of growth

Abstract Rich in bioactive and nutritional phytochemicals, the cladode is an important part of prickly pear plant (cactus). Its processing into powder is a way of adding value allowing its use as a food, dietary supplement and cosmetic ingredient. This work aims to assess the suitability for processing into powder of prickly pear cladodes at four ages of growth and to assess technological and nutritional qualities of the obtained powders. The cladodes belonging to the Opuntia ficus-indica species, aged less than one year, one year, from 1.5 to 2 years and from 3 to 3.5 years, were harvested in Skhour Rhamna (Centre of Morocco). The quality of the fresh cladodes and the cladodes powder was evaluated by studying powder yield, humidity, water absorption index (WAI), water activity (aw), sorption curves, colour, total titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, cellulose and ash contents. This work has highlighted the suitability of the cladodes of different ages for processing into powder. The resulted powders were characterized by different and interesting characteristics in terms of technological and nutritional qualities allowing their orientation towards different uses. WAI values, which increased with age, provided information on different rheological properties of powders when using as an ingredient in liquid or semi-solid formulations and on different saturation effects when using in food preparations. Moreover, aw values, lower than 0.29, can ensure a good biochemical and microbial stability. The sorption behaviors of cladodes powder, almost similar for the four studied ages, are moderately hygroscopic. The appreciation of the colour using the Hunter Lab scale, showed an opposite trend of a* and L* parameters, with age, between fresh cladodes and their powders indicating that the smaller the cladodes age, the greenest the resulting powder. Having an acidic pH, powders recorded also increases of cellulose and ash contents with the cladodes age.