Opuntia spp. and Extruded Food

Opuntia spp., the prickly pear fruit, also known as cactus pear, belongs to the cactus family, Cactaceae. The fruits are the well-known raw material that is considered a significant source of bioactive substances (anthocyanin, betalains, carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids), vitamins, and minerals with health-promoting properties. Therefore, the potential composition of Opuntia spp. fruits is increasingly gaining momentum for functional, nutritional, technological, and medicinal applications. Furthermore, Opuntia spp. fruits have increased food industrial interest due to proper mixing and blending properties during thermal processing. As a relatively modern HTST processing technology, extrusion cooking is extensively used to develop new food products supplemented with functional ingredients. However, the functional and technological applications of whole Opuntia spp. fruit in extruded food products is limited in the food processing industry. The data related to the supplementation of Opuntia spp. fruit in extruded expanded food products is scattered. The present literature summarizes data from promising research areas focusing on expanded food products enriched with components or wholesome Opuntia spp. fruit.