Composition of discarded Sicilian fruits of Opuntia ficus indica L.: Phenolic content, mineral profile and antioxidant activity in peel, seeds and whole fruit

Maria Bellumori; Marzia Innocenti; Luisa Andrenelli; Fabrizio Melani; Lorenzo Cecchi; Gaetano Pandino; Giovanni Mauromicale; Stefano La Malfa; Nadia Mulinacci

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136756

Composition of discarded Sicilian fruits of Opuntia ficus indica L.: Phenolic content, mineral profile and antioxidant activity in peel, seeds and whole fruit

Food Chem. 2023 Dec 1:428:136756. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136756. Epub 2023 Jun 30.

Authors

Maria Bellumori¹, Marzia Innocenti¹, Luisa Andrenelli², Fabrizio Melani¹, Lorenzo Cecchi², Gaetano Pandino³, Giovanni Mauromicale³, Stefano La Malfa³, Nadia Mulinacci⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of NEUROFARBA, Division of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, via U. Schiff 6, 50019 Sesto F.no, Florence, Italy.
² Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Systems Management (DAGRI), University of Florence, Piazzale Delle Cascine 16, 50144 Florence, Italy.
³ Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95123 Catania, Italy.
⁴ Department of NEUROFARBA, Division of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, via U. Schiff 6, 50019 Sesto F.no, Florence, Italy. Electronic address: nadia.mulinacci@unifi.it.

PMID: 37413837
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136756

Abstract

Sicily (Italy) is the second producer of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) fruits after Mexico. To date, huge quantities of fruit are discarded during the selection for the fresh market, generating a large amount of by-product to be valorized. This study aimed to investigate on the composition of OFI discarded fruits from the main Sicilian productive areas, over two harvesting periods. Peel, seeds and whole fruit samples were characterized in terms of minerals and phenolic compounds through ICP-OES and HPLC-DAD-MS. Potassium, calcium and magnesium were the most abundant elements and peel samples showed the highest values. Seventeen phenolic compounds were detected in peel and whole fruit, including flavonoids, phenylpyruvic and hydroxycinnamic acids, while only phenolic acids were found in the seeds. A multivariate chemometric approach highlighted a correlation between the mineral and phenolic content and the different parts of the fruit as well as a significant influence of productive area.

Keywords: Chemometric analysis; Element profile; Flavonoids; HPLC analyses; Phenolic acids; Prickly pear.

MeSH terms

Antioxidants*
Fruit / chemistry
Minerals
Opuntia*
Phenols / analysis
Seeds / chemistry
Sicily

Substances

Antioxidants
Minerals
Phenols