Valorisation of Opuntia ficus indica oil and residue: Optimization of phenolic compounds extraction, antioxidant activities study

Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica, OFI), commonly known
as prickly pear, belongs to the Cactaceae family. Originated
in Mexico, it was introduced into the Mediterranean
countries at the beginning of the sixteenth century.
These plants grow wild in arid and semi-arid regions,
where the production of more succulent food plants is
severely limited. The margarine industry has several problems,
the oxidation of the lipids is one of the major issues
because oxidation is responsible for reducing the nutritional
and sensory quality of food. This study was carried
out to optimize Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and
ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) process and assess
the possibility of use OFI seeds as natural antioxidant
additives in food. Opuntia ficus indica oil and residue
seeds were analyzed for phytochemical contents and antioxidant
activities. Moreover, the optimal conditions for
microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted
extraction (USAE) of total phenolic content and
antioxidant activity radical DPPH from prickly pear seeds
residue were investigated using response surface methodology
(RSM). The models were verified and validated
and the interactions between the factors were studied.
High-performance Liquid Chroma-tography (HPLC)
analysis at MAE and USAE optimized conditions revealed
the presence of 8 and 9 phenolic compounds
respectively, which were then identified and quantified.
The effect of MAE and USAE on the cell surface change
of OFI seeds residue powder was observed by scanning
electron microscopy (SEM). Both OFI oil and residue
seeds give high oxidative stability, hence it was an alternative
to the synthetic antioxidant in the margarine.

Author(s): Meriem Abider-Amrane, Fatiha benkarrou, Kenza Bedjaoui Nedjima Debbou-Iouknane, Abderezak

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