Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Cactus Pear (Opuntia) Seed Oils. (26th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ramírez-Moreno, Esther; Cariño-Cortés, Raquel; Cruz-Cansino, Nelly del Socorro; Delgado-Olivares, Luis; Ariza-Ortega, José Alberto; Montañez-Izquierdo, Vanessa Yelina; Hernández-Herrero, María Manuela; Filardo-Kerstupp, Tomás
• Other Names: Lauková Andrea Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of food quality. Volume 2017(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-04-26
• Subjects: Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Standards -- Periodicals; Food -- Periodicals; 664.07
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/3075907
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-9428

Abstract

Abstract : Seed oils from two Mexican varieties of cactus pear (green: Opuntia albicarpa and red: Opuntia ficus indica ) were extracted with different solvents (hexane, ethanol, and ethyl acetate) to evaluate their antioxidant activity. The seed oil with higher antioxidant activity was selected to evaluate antimicrobial activity. The fatty acid profile was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Oil from green cactus pear seeds obtained with ethanol and ethyl acetate exhibited higher antioxidant activity (p < 0.05 ) of 323 and 316 μ mol TE/20 mg ( p < 0.05), respectively, compared to red cactus pear seed oil (≈274 and 247 μ mol TE/20 mg with ethyl acetate and ethanol, resp.). The oil obtained with ethanol and higher antioxidant activity was used to determine the antimicrobial activity. Both cactus pear oils produced a microbial inhibition zone in most of the microorganisms evaluated, particularly Saccharomyces cerevisiae which had similar diameter (38–40 mm). The oil fatty acids profiles of both varieties were similar and exhibited a high content of linoleic acid, while two fatty acids (linolenic and behenic) found in red cactus pear were not observed in the green variety.