1/5/2023 0 Comments Cactus fruitWash and air dry prickly pear fruit, then store them in a sturdy container with a lid in the freezer. Fruit can be transferred to a plastic container, then rinsed multiple times in the container to remove dirt and any debris, with a final rinse on a perforated tray or dish dryer rack over the sink (Figure 3). A clean paper bag can also be used to collect prickly pear fruit fill the bag only about half full, then shake it vigorously to make spines fall off the fruit. Place fruit in a clean plastic container that can be easily moved from place to place during harvest. Fruit should be firm and should easily remove from the cactus pad using tongs, but it may give some resistance when not fully mature. Wear protective clothing when harvesting red prickly pear fruit.ĭepending on your location, September may be the best month to select prickly pear fruit that is deep red to burgundy in color and in good condition, without visible damage from insect or bird feeding. Additionally, if you are harvesting fruit in an open desert area, be aware of dangers in the environment, such as possible rough terrain and wildlife hazards that may be present in the area, including snakes, coyotes, skunks, and other creatures that may become aggressive when disturbed in their native environment.įigure 2. Wear protective clothing when harvesting prickly pear fruit, including eyewear, gloves, long sleeves, pants, and boots or protective footwear (Figure 2). Sink with dish dryer rack or perforated tray.Harvesting Prickly Pear Fruit Equipment list Closeup of prickly pear fruit, or tuna (photo by Lynda Disher, ). Additionally, the fruit pulp contains 29% glucose and 24% fructose (Salim et al., 2009).įigure 1. A 100-gram serving of prickly pear fruit provides 220 mg potassium, 14 mg vitamin C, 56 mg calcium, and 4 g fiber (USDA, 2016). Both the fruit and the pads have nutritional benefits. Although the juice of a prickly pear fruit has a tart flavor, the acidity ranges from 5 to 7 pH, which indicates that the fruit should be handled as a low-acid food that requires either pressure processing or acidification and water bath processing to properly can juice or fruit products. Additionally, the fruit has been used in such treats as drinks, desserts, and jellies. Cactus pads and fruit were roasted to make them edible and extract juice (Anaya-Pérez, 2001). Pre-historic native people in Mexico and Central America harvested wild prickly pear cactus pads ( nopal in Spanish) and fruit ( tuna in Spanish Figure 1), and eventually developed horticultural practices to cultivate it as a food crop. Prickly pear cactus ( Opuntia species) has value as a landscaping plant and livestock feed supplement. They are found from the Canadian rangeland to southern South America (Ribbens, 2008) and are prolific in the American Southwest states of Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. There are about 1,000 species of the succulent prickly pear cacti that have adapted to various climates. (Print Friendly PDF) Prickly Pear Cactus and Fruit Patricia Aaron, Cindy Davies, Nancy Flores, and Brian NummerĬollege of Agricultural,Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University Respectively, Former Extension Home Economist, Bernalillo County Extension Office, New Mexico State University (NMSU) County Program Director/Extension Home Economist, Bernalillo County Extension Office, NMSU Extension Food Technology Specialist, Department of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, NMSU and Extension Food Specialist, Utah State University. #CACTUS FRUIT HOW TO#Cactus Concoctions: How to Prepare and Use Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit and Pads
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