The Opuntia fruits, commonly known as cactus pears or prickly pears, have been suggested by the Food and Agriculture Organization to be a promising and strategic crop in regions suffering from lack of water. In Mexico, India, South Africa, and the Mediterranean, the Opuntia fruits have become popular due to their nutritive value and health-promoting benefits, including antioxidant, antiulcerogenic and antiatherogenic traits and protective effects against LDL oxidation. Additionally, readily absorbable sugars, high vitamin C and mineral content, and a pleasant flavour make Opuntia tailor-made for novel foods.

Due to their ecological advantages, high functional value, and health-related traits, Opuntia fruits can be highly exploited in different food processing applications. For instance, Opuntia cactus fruits are used for the preparation of juices and marmalades; Opuntia cactus plants are used to feed animals in African and Latin American countries; Peruvian farmers cultivate Opuntia cactus for growing the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) insect and producing the natural dye carmine; and the commercial production of food and non-food products from Opuntia has been established in Mexico, USA and several Mediterranean countries.

Opuntia spp.: Chemistry, Bioactivity and Industrial Applications creates a multidisciplinary forum of discussion on Opuntia cactus with special emphasis on its horticulture, post-harvest, marketability, chemistry, functionality, health-promoting properties, technology and processing.  The text includes detailed discussion of the impact of traditional and innovative processing on the recovery of high-added value compounds from Opuntia spp. by-products. Later chapters explore the potential applications of Opuntia spp. in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. 

1-Introduction to Opuntia spp.: Chemistry, bioactivity and Industrial Applications

2-South African perspective on Opuntia spp.: cultivation, human and livestock food and industrial applications
3-Ethnobotany, medicinal utilization and Systematics of Opuntia species from Deserts of Pakistan
4-Cactus Pear (Opuntia spp.) Species and Cultivars
5-Classification, Distribution and Morphological Characterization of Opuntia species
6-Cultivation and Cultural Practices of Opuntia spp
7-Molecular characterization of Opuntia spp
8-Genetic diversity and ecotypes of Opuntia spp
9-Potential attribute of crassulacean acid metabolism of Opuntia spp. production in water-limited conditions
10-Harvest and Postharvest Technology of Opuntia spp
11-Chemistry and functionality of Opuntia spp. nopal cladodes
12-Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Bioactive Ingredients and Phyto-constituents
13-Opuntia Fiber and its Health-Related Beneficial Properties
14-Opuntia spp. chemical constituents and bioactive compounds, with particular regards to polyphenols
15-Profile and Biological Properties of the main Phenolic compounds in cactus pear (Opuntia spp.)
16-Opuntia spp. essential oils
17-Antioxidant activity of Opuntia spp.: A review
18-Natural antimicrobial molecules from Opuntia spp. and their role in poultry nutrition
19-Genus Opuntia: A golden source of compounds with anti-inflammatory potential
20-Opuntia spp. benefits in chronic diseases
21-Traceability of Opuntia spp
22-Antidiabetic Activity of Opuntia spp
23-Anticancer Activity of Opuntia spp
24-Innovative technologies for the identification of chemical and bioactive compounds in Opuntia spp. plant, food and waste
25-Innovation technologies for extracting Opuntia spp. seed oil
26-Novel pectins from prickly pear (Opuntia albicarpa) fruits: structural features and rheological properties
27-Modern Technologies in Opuntia spp. Juice Processing
28-Novel Technologies in Juice Processing from Opuntia spp. Fruits
29-Potential use of prickly pear juice prepared from shelf-grown cultivars as an authentic and nutritional fruit supplement
30-Fermented Beverages from Opuntia species: Composition, Commercialization and Future Outlook
31-Opuntia spp. Marmalade
32-Opuntia pear peel as a source of functional ingredients and their utilization in meat products
33-Opuntia spp. Seed Oil
34-Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica) processing by extrusion-cooking
35-Opuntia spp. and Extruded Food Products
36-Opuntia spp. Extruded Food Products
37-Industrial uses of Opuntia spp. by-products
38-Bread Enrichment with Opuntia spp. Derivatives
39-Opuntia spp. products and by-products as a potential source of edible films and coatings
40-Microencapsulation technology: an alternative preservation method for Opuntia spp. derived products and their bioactive compounds
41-Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) in animal and poultry feed
42-Industrial applications of Opuntia spp. (nopal, fruit and peel)
43-Opuntia spp. as a source of sugars for the ethanol production
44-Opuntia spp. in biogas production
45-Opuntia spp. in dye-sensitized solar cells
46-Incorporation of Opuntia spp. into Food Systems
47-Opuntia spp. in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals
48-Food and non-food applications of Opuntia spp. seed oil
49-Opuntia spp. in the textile industry
50-Cactus pear as colorants and coloring foods: application in different food matrices.