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Nutritional quality, Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Red and Green Opuntia Ficus Indica Peels’ Extracts

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Abstract

The goal of the present work is to evaluate the nutritive quality, chemical composition and antioxidant potential of red and green Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) peel extracts. Mineral analysis showed that the green peels exhibited the greatest concentrations of potassium, calcium and magnesium. Our findings showed that linoleic and linolenic acids were the major constituents (29.18 and 29.27%, respectively) followed by palmitic acid (20.82%) in the green peels, whereas linoleic acid (28.76%) was the predominant one followed by palmitic (25.74%) and linolenic (24.72%) acids in the red peels. The green and red peels’ lipids contained 44.43 g/kg and 64.31 g/kg of phytosterols and triterpenols, respectively. The sterol marker was β-sitosterol representing more than 55% of the entire sterol content in the two peels followed by campesterol and stigmasterol. Tocopherol amounts were 656.895 and 813.025 mg/kg for the green and red peels, respectively. Methanol extracts of defatted peels showed high amounts of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and expressed strong antioxidant capacity. Red peels extract displayed the largest values of TPC = 143.32 mg GAE/g, TFC = 37.06 mg QE/g, DPPH IC50 = 327.72 μg/mL and FRAP EC50 = 302.43 μg/mL.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Dr. Sami A. Zabin (Associate professor, Al Baha University) for his assistance and support during stages of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, University of Gabes, 6072, Gabes, Tunisia

    Ines El Mannoubi

  2. National Institute of Research and Physico-Chemical Analysis, Biotech Pole of Sidi Thabet, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia

    Ines El Mannoubi

  3. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Albaha University, Al-Baha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Ines El Mannoubi

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Significance statement: This investigation focuses on evaluation of the nutritive value and antioxidant potential of the constituents of red and green OFI plant’s fruit peels. Results indicated excellent sources of functional food ingredients and strong antioxidant capacity. This indicates that the constituents can be natural sources for food and pharmaceutical applications.

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El Mannoubi, I. Nutritional quality, Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Red and Green Opuntia Ficus Indica Peels’ Extracts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 93, 473–479 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-022-01442-3

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