Search Results (5)

The cactus Selenicereus undatus (S. undatus), known as pitahaya or dragon fruit, is one of the pitaya species of economic importance for different countries worldwide, particularly in China, Mexico, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the United States, among other countries. On the other hand, Cactophagus spinolae (C. spinolae) is a pest insect found in Mexico, known as the cactus weevil or borer. This study reports, for the first time, C. spinolae feeding and damage to the vascular stem and flower bud of wild S. undatus plants in Jalisco, Mexico. Field sampling was conducted in wild populations of S. undatus between July and October 2024. The results of our study confirm that C. spinolae actively feeds on S. undatus, causing damage to the plant, primarily to the vascular cylinder of mature and immature stems, as well as to flower buds and tissues. During monitoring, we observed a total of nine eggs, nine larvae, and sixteen adults in different plant samples, confirming that S. undatus serves as a reproductive host for C. spinolae. The results highlight the threat of C. spinolae to S. undatus in the State of Jalisco, which highlights the need to incorporate new agricultural strategies to mitigate the impact that this insect has on pitahaya. Full article

Purple-fleshed dragon fruit is gaining popularity worldwide due to its distinctive characteristics and health benefits. This climbing cactus, introduced to humid tropical climates, presents challenges in assessing fruit quality. The dynamic transformations in fruit color, bioactive compounds, and textural attributes across 11 developmental stages from 10 to 32 days after flowering under humid tropical conditions were studied. Color analysis revealed significant intensification of red-violet hues, with L* values decreasing by 14.74% and a* values increasing from −8.14 to 32.96. The color transformation is initiated in the pulp at 25 days and the peel at 27 days after flowering. Betalain synthesis commenced after 20 days with rapid accumulation between 25 and 32 days, correlating with color development. Antioxidant activity increased from 79.38% at 10 days to 86.76% at 20 days, followed by a steady decline. Phenolic content peaked at 121.40 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g at 25 days before declining, while the flavonoid content decreased with the advancement of fruit development. Concurrent reduction in peel thickness and fruit firmness was also observed. These findings show that purple-fleshed dragon fruit can adapt well to humid tropical conditions, with a 32-day developmental cycle, offering vital insights into quality and maturation phases. Full article

Objective: This integrative review aimed to identify the phenolic compounds present in pitayas (dragon fruit). Methods: We employed a comprehensive search strategy, encompassing full-text articles published between 2013 and 2023 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish from databases indexed in ScienceDirect, Capes Periodics, Scielo, and PubMed. The study’s selection was guided by the question, “What are the main phenolic compounds found in pitaya fruits?”. Results: After screening 601 papers, 57 met the inclusion criteria. The identified phytochemicals have been associated with a range of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic properties. Additionally, they exhibit promising applications in the management of cancer, diabetes, and obesity. These 57 studies encompassed various genera, including Hylocereus, Selenicereus, and Stenocereus. Notably, Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus emerged as the most extensively characterized species regarding polyphenol content. Analysis revealed that flavonoids, particularly kaempferol and rutin, were the predominant phenolic class within the pulp and peel of these fruits. Additionally, hydroxycinnamic and benzoic acid derivatives, especially chlorogenic acid, caffeic, protocatechuic, synaptic, and ellagic acid, were frequently reported. Furthermore, betalains, specifically betacyanins, were identified, contributing to the characteristic purplish-red color of the pitaya peel and pulp. These betalains hold significant potential as natural colorants in the food industry. Conclusion: Therefore, the different pitayas have promising sources for the extraction of pigments for incorporation in the food industry. We recommend further studies investigate their potential as nutraceuticals. Full article

Pitaya is a non-climacteric fruit that has white or red flesh with numerous small, black seeds. It has a high moisture content; however, water loss during handling and storage negatively affects the fresh weight, firmness and appearance of the fruit, decreasing market value. Application of compatible postharvest coatings has been shown to benefit postharvest quality of many crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two commercial coatings on weight loss and quality of pitaya during storage. Pitaya fruit were commercially harvested and sorted for uniformity of size and freedom from defects. Fruit were briefly immersed in either a vegetable oil-based coating (VOC; Sta-Fresh^® 2981) or a carnauba-based coating (CC; Endura-Fresh™ 6100) according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Fruit immersed in tap water served as a control. Fruit were fan-dried at room temperature for 20 min, then stored at 7 °C with 85% relative humidity (RH) and evaluated for selected physical quality parameters each 5 days during 20 days. After each evaluation, fruit were peeled and frozen for later analysis of soluble solids content (SSC), total titratable acidity (TTA); on day 15 fresh samples were evaluated by an untrained consumer sensory panel. CC prevented exocarp shriveling for 15 days of storage, compared to uncoated pitaya (16.3% area affected); shriveling in VOC was intermediate and not significantly different from the other treatments. Mesocarp firmness remained constant throughout 15 days of storage regardless of treatment. Fruit exocarp h* angle increased slightly by day 20, becoming slightly less red, and there were no negative treatment effects for the other quality factors measured: SSC (11.33%), TTA (0.25%), weight loss (5.5%) or sensory evaluations (appearance, flavor, texture, firmness, and juiciness). After 20 days storage, appearance for fruit from all treatments was rated unacceptable due to development of anthracnose lesions. It was concluded that both CC and VOC maintained quality of pitaya for 15 days at 7 °C and 85% RH by delaying exocarp shriveling. Full article

This study is to offer a 1st insight in the use of membrane process for the purification and concentration of Vietnamese fruit juices: cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale Line.), dragon fruit (Cactus hémiépiphytes), pineapple (Ananas comosus), pomelo (Citrus grandis L.), and gac aril oil (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.). On a laboratory scale, the effect of different operating parameters such as trans-membrane pressures (TMP), temperature and membrane pore sizes on permeate flux was determined in order to optimize process conditions that would ensure acceptable flux with adequate juice quality. The quality of the samples coming from the ultrafiltration (UF) process was evaluated in terms of: total soluble solids (TSS), suspended solids (SS), and vitamin C. For example, the purification process of cashew apple juice by cross-flow filtration was optimized at 0.5 μm membrane pore size, 2.5 bars TMP, and 60 min filtration time. Besides, this technique was applied to enhance carotenoids concentration from gac oil. Optimum conditions for a high permeate flux and a good carotenoids retention are 5 nm, 2 bars, and 40 °C of membrane pore size, TMP, and temperature, respectively. Carotenoids were concentrated higher than that in feeding oil. Full article