Strategies for the extension of the shelf life of ready to eat prickly pear fruits

The prickly pear fruit (Opuntia ficus indica L. Miller) belongs to the Cactaceae family. The fruit is a berry, composed by an epicarp and the pulp, which represents the edible portion. At maturation, the epicarp turns yellow, red or white, depending on the cultivar. In Italy, the prickly pear is mainly cultivated in Sicily (90% of the national production). The fruit is very sensitive to low storage temperatures (< 5°C) which cause chilling injuries. The fruits can be successfully commercialized as a ready-to-eat product, peeled and suitably packaged. The main limit to its production is the formation of off-flavours due to different factors, such as the growth of microorganism and the action…