Fresh-cut products from cactus species

Various species of Cactaceae family can serve a source of delicious and healthy fresh foodstuffs. Marketing cacti as ready-to-eat (fresh-cut) products may significantly expand their consumption, on condition that their quality, safety and longevity would answer the market demands. The present work was aimed at studying the storability of fresh-cut products prepared from several edible cactus species and looking for ways to improve their keeping quality. The experiments included fruit of cactus pear Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller, cactus apple (koubo) Cereus peruvianus (L.) Miller, and dragon fruit (pitaya) Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton and Rose, as well as cladodes (pads) of nopal (ve…