Bioactive Compounds of Opuntia spp. Acid Fruits: Micro and Nano-Emulsified Extracts and Applications in Nutraceutical Foods

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 26; no. 21; p. 6429
• Main Authors: Fernández-Luqueño, Fabián, Medina-Pérez, Gabriela, Pérez-Soto, Elizabeth, Espino-Manzano, Salvador, Peralta-Adauto, Laura, Pérez-Ríos, Sergio, Campos-Montiel, Rafael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 25.10.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; antibacterial; antioxidant; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - isolation & purification; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Ascorbic acid; Bioactive compounds; Biological activity; Cacti; Carotenoids; Chemical Fractionation - methods; Diabetes; Dietary minerals; Dietary Supplements; Emulsions; Encapsulation; Enzymes; Flavonoids; Flowers & plants; Food; Fruit - chemistry; Fruits; Functional Food; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; gastroprotective; hepatoprotective; Inflammation; Meat; Meat products; Nanoemulsions; Opuntia; Opuntia - chemistry; Phenols; Physiology; Phytochemicals - chemistry; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Polyphenols; Protective Agents - chemistry; Protective Agents - isolation & purification; Protective Agents - pharmacology; Review; Seeds; Mexico; encapsulation; antioxidant; in vitro; nanoemulsions; antibacterial; functional food; gastroprotective; hepatoprotective
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216429

The acid fruit of the "xoconostle" cactus belongs to the genus family of cacti. It is used as a functional food for its bioactive compounds. Several studies reported that xoconostle fruits have a high amount of ascorbic acid, betalains, phenols, tannins, and flavonoids. These compounds confer antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective gastroprotective activity. Xoconostle fruit extracts were tested by in vitro assays where the digestion conditions were simulated to measure their stability. At the same time, the extracts were protected by encapsulation (microencapsulation, multiple emulsions, and nanoemulsions). Applications of encapsulated extracts were probed in various food matrices (edible films, meat products, dairy, and fruit coatings). The xoconostle is a natural source of nutraceutical compounds, and the use of this fruit in the new food could help improve consumers' health.