Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Food Chemistry
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem

Mucilage and cladode flour from cactus (Opuntia monacantha) as alternative T

ingredients in gluten-free crackers
Melina Dicka, Christian Limbergera, Roberta Cruz Silveira Thysb, Alessandro de Oliveira Riosa,
⁎
Simone Hickmann Flôresa,
a
Bioactive Compounds Laboratory, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, P.O. Box 15059, ZC
91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
b
Baking Laboratory, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, P.O. Box 15059, ZC 91501-970 Porto
Alegre, RS, Brazil

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Cactus cladode offers innovative ingredients such as cactus mucilage (CM) and cladode flour (CF) for producing
Hydrocolloid gluten-free snacks. Five different crackers were formulated: C-C (control cracker prepared with 2% of com-
Texture mercial gums), C-CM (cracker containing 2% of CM instead of commercial gums), C-CF5, C-CF10, and C-CF15
Total phenolic content (crackers incorporated of 5%, 10%, and 15% CF, respectively – free of commercial gums). CF characterization is
Carotenoids
also presented, demonstrating its great technological potentiality. The proximate composition of C-CM and C-CF
Antioxidant activity
mostly differed for ash and fiber content as compared to C-C. In general, crackers' physical properties were not
Sensory evaluation
impacted by CM or CF addition, except for the darker color of CF-supplemented crackers. The C-CM and CF-
incorporated crackers showed higher total phenolics and antioxidant activity. Additionally, the latter samples
were enhanced with carotenoids. Sensory evaluation revealed that C-CM and C-CF5 were those most accepted.
Therefore, CM and CF are interesting alternatives for gluten-free cracker formulation.

1. Introduction bakery products, since the structure of biscuits does not depend as
much on the protein network as it does on the starch gelatinization.
The consumption and demand for gluten-free products have risen all Even so, hydrocolloids (e.g. carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan and guar
over the world owing to an increased prevalence of gluten-related gum) are usually added on doughs to simulate the viscoelastic prop-
disorders like celiac disease. Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune erties of gluten and improve the structure, mouthfeel, acceptability, and
disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the shelf-life of gluten-free products (Cairano et al., 2018; Han, Janz, &
ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine (Rosell, Barro, Gerlat, 2010; Mir, Shah, Naik, & Zargar, 2016).
Sousa, & Mena, 2014). Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease The cladodes of Opuntia species represent a source of extractable
is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. polysaccharides (mucilage) that could be used to modify the texture of
Crackers, a dry baked food typically made with flour, represent one food products, with promising perspectives as a food additive/in-
of the most important segments of the baking industry and could serve gredient due to its hydrocolloid features (Dick, Dal Magro, Rodrigues,
as a proper vehicle to meet the consumer demand for a gluten-free Rios, & Flôres, 2019). Besides their enormous productive potential, they
snack that is nutritious, convenient and tasty (Millar et al., 2017). are a rich source of dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble fractions) and
Nevertheless, the production of gluten-free crackers may encounter minerals (Stintzing & Carle, 2005). Thus, it is also feasible to use the
technical difficulties because the gluten absence provokes a lack of cladode in its more integral form, taking advantage of the other com-
suitable flow-mechanical properties for the processing of flour doughs ponents present in its matrix, beyond its high content of mucilage. This
due to the absence of the viscoelastic network characterized by gluten is the case of the bioactive compounds generally observed by re-
formation after hydration and mixing. The gluten network helps in gas searchers in the cactus cladodes such as polyphenols (principally fla-
retention during bread fermentation (Martínez & Gómez, 2017), on the vonoids and phenolic acids) and carotenoids with relevant antioxidant
other hand, according to Cairano, Galgano, Tolve, Caruso, and Condelli activity (Jaramillo-Flores et al., 2003; Mena et al., 2018; Msaddak et al.,
(2018), the biscuit formulation is technologically easier than the other 2017; Stintzing & Carle, 2005; Valente et al., 2010). Scientific evidence

⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: simone.fl[email protected] (S. Hickmann Flôres).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126178
Received 27 May 2019; Received in revised form 27 December 2019; Accepted 7 January 2020
Available online 11 January 2020
0308-8146/ © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Fig. 1. Appearance of the ingredients obtained from Opuntia monacantha cactus: cactus mucilage (CM) powder (A) and cladode flour (CF) (B). (C) shows the
appearance of gluten-free crackers incorporated of these ingredients. C-C: control cracker; C-CM: cracker containing CM hydrocolloid; C-CF5, C-CF10, and C-CF15
(crackers incorporated of 5%, 10%, and 15% of CF, respectively).

has demonstrated the importance of the bioactive compounds in the 2. Materials and methods
diet because they may decrease de risk of several diseases associated
with oxidative stress like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes as 2.1. Materials
well as neurodegenerative diseases (Yang et al., 2018).
In this sense, the cladodes dehydrated and processed into a powder Cladodes (stems) from Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw. were
could be a convenient form to be included in bakery goods and may collected in the region of Águas Claras, Viamão city, Rio Grande do Sul
increase the concentration of beneficial compounds in the final product. state, Brazil (30°09′26.67″S and 50°52′33.01″W). Two harvests were
Some studies have been carried out to investigate the use of cladode carried out in August 2015 for the production of cladode flour (CF) and
flour as partial substitute of wheat flour on baked goods (e.g. cookies, cactus mucilage (CM) powder. A voucher specimen, registration
bread, and cake) with a wheat flour replacement range from 2.5 to 20% number 191981, was deposited in the ICN (Institute of Natural Sciences
by the cladode flour (Ayadi, Abdelmaksoud, Ennouri, & Attia, 2009; Herbarium of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul). Other
Msaddak et al., 2015, 2017). The main goal of these studies was to baking ingredients included: sour cassava starch (Fritz & Frida®, Ivoti,
improve the nutritional benefits of the end product through the addi- Brazil), rice flour (Fazenda®, Turvo, Brazil), wholegrain buckwheat
tion of cladode flour predominantly owing to its increment on fibers, flour (Ekosul Produtos Naturais, Estância Velha, Brazil), sunflower oil
minerals, and antioxidant compounds. Even if interesting results have (Salada®, Gaspar, Brazil), salt (Cisne®, Cabo Frio, Brazil), sugar
been obtained, there is no available published data on the utilization of (União®, Tarumã, Brazil), dry yeast (Fleischmann®, Pederneiras,
cactus ingredients in gluten-free formulated products. Brazil), baking powder (Itapan®, Tapiratiba, Brazil), sodium bicarbo-
Meanwhile, Brazil is considered the third geographic center of di- nate (Fã®, Uberlândia, Brazil), monoglycerides of fatty acids (Creamline
versity of cacti in the world (Carneiro, Farias-Singer, Ramos, & Nilson, MHS 90 M) and α-amylase enzyme (Spring Alfa 140.000) (Granolab do
2016). However, the use of its native cactus plants have hardly been Brasil S/A, Curitiba, Brazil), CMC (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose)
deemed for food purposes, probably attributed to the lack of informa- gum (Mix®, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil), xanthan gum (Hexus Food
tion available. This is the case of Opuntia monacantha, popularly known Ingredients, Portão, Brazil), and water. Additional chemicals and re-
as arumbeva. The plant demonstrates ample geographical distribution agents used in this study were of analytical grade.
and occurs naturally in a number of Brazilian states, preferentially in
the Atlantic coastal area, as well as in the countries of Argentina,
2.2. Extraction procedure of cactus mucilage
Paraguay, and Uruguay. It has been introduced and naturalized in
Australia, China, Cuba, the Himalayas, India and South Africa (Valente
The mucilage extraction was performed as previously described by
et al., 2010).
Dick et al. (2019). Briefly, the whole cladodes were crushed to obtain a
Due to the aforementioned characteristics of cacti cladodes, we
pulp. This was homogenized with water (1: 2, w/v, pulp: water) and
glimpse that the mucilage and the cladode flour obtained from O.
heated (80 °C, 30 min). Hereafter, the obtained slurry was centrifuged
monacantha can be important ingredients in gluten-free baked products.
(10,000 g, 20 min, 20 °C) (Hitachi, CR 21GIII, Japan) and then pre-
Therefore, firstly this study assessed the physicochemical and techno-
cipitated overnight with 95% ethanol (1: 3, v/v, supernatant: ethanol).
functional properties of the cladode flour. Afterward were developed
Subsequently, the mucilage was recovered by vacuum filtration and
gluten-free crackers with the addition of cactus mucilage (CM) or cla-
dried in a convection oven (DeLeo, B4AFD, Brazil) at 45 °C for 16 h
dode flour (CF) as substitutes of commercial gums and were evaluated
(Dick et al., 2019). The sample was converted into fine particles with
their effects on crackers characteristics (proximate composition, phy-
the aid of a mortar and pestle and sieved through a 60-mesh screen to
sical properties, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and sensory
obtain the cactus mucilage (CM) powder (Fig. 1A) that was packed in
acceptance).
polyethylene bags and stored at room temperature, protected from light
and humidity, until utilization. The CM powder was earlier analyzed
(Dick et al., 2019) and comprised of 9.65% moisture, 80.12% total

2
M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Table 1 (2004). Details regarding this analysis are compiled in Table S1 of

Formulations for the production of gluten-free crackers containing ingredients Supplementary data. Results were expressed on a dry weight (DW)
from cactus (mucilage and cladode flour). basis.
Ingredients (% Flour C-C C-CM C-CF5 C-CF10 C-CF15
blend) (g/100 g) (g/ (g/ (g/ (g/ 2.4.3. Water activity
100 g) 100 g) 100 g) 100 g) Water activity (aw) of CF was measured at 25 °C using a portable
water activity instrument (Rotronic, HygroPalm AW1, Switzerland).
Flour blend 100 100 100 100 100
Sour cassava starch 60 60 60 60 60
Rice flour 30 30 30 30 30 2.4.4. Color parameters
Wholegrain buckwheat 10 10 10 10 10 The color of CF was determined using a CIELab colorimeter (Konica
flour
Minolta, CR-400, Japan). Color was expressed as L* (lightness), a*
Sunflower oil 15 15 15 15 15
Salt 4 4 4 4 4
(+red; −green), and b* (+yellow; −blue) values.
Sugar 2 2 2 2 2
Dry yeast 2 2 2 2 2 2.4.5. Functional properties
Monoglycerides of fatty 1 1 1 1 1 The bulk density of the CF was measured by transferring the sample
acids
to a 25 mL graduated cylinder. The bottom of the cylinder was gently
Baking powder 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8
Sodium bicarbonate 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 tapped on a rubber mat (approx. 10 times) until there was no further
α-amylase enzyme 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 diminution of the sample level after filling to the 10 mL mark. The
CMC gum 1 – – – – weight was then recorded and bulk density was calculated as the weight
Xanthan gum 1 – – – –
of sample per unit volume of sample (g/mL) (Kaur & Singh, 2005).
Cactus mucilage (CM) – 2 – – –
Cladode flour (CF) – – 5 10 15
For swelling determination, CF (100 mg) was hydrated with 10 mL
Water 55 50 57 57 57 of distilled water in a calibrated cylinder (1.5 cm diameter) at room
Flour blenda/oil 12 12 12 12 12 temperature. After equilibration (18 h), the bed volume was recorded
mixtureused for and expressed as volume per gram original sample dry weight (mL/g
layering
DW) (Robertson et al., 2000).
C-C: control cracker; C-CM: cracker containing cactus mucilage hydrocolloid; C- The water holding capacity (WHC) and oil holding capacity (OHC)
CF5: cracker incorporated of 5% cladode flour; C-CF10: cracker incorporated of of CF were performed according to López-Cervantes et al. (2011) with
10% cladode flour; C-CF15: cracker incorporated of 15% cladode flour. minor modifications. To determine the WHC, 1 g of CF was placed in a
a
Sour cassava starch (60%), rice flour (30%), wholegrain buckwheat flour pre-weighed centrifuge tube to which 30 mL of distilled water was
(10%). For C-CF5, C-CF10, and C-CF15 formulations were added 5%, 10%, and added. The suspension was homogenized in a vortex for 1 min and left
15% of cladode flour, respectively, based on flour blend. at room temperature for 24 h. Afterward, the sample was centrifuged
(Hitachi, CR 21GIII, Japan) at 25,000 g (30 min, 20 °C); supernatant
carbohydrates (58.8% total dietary fiber), 15.14% ash, 3.55% protein, (non-absorbed water) was carefully discarded, being the tube kept in-
and 1.19% lipid (based on dry weight, except the moisture). verted for 1 min. The residue was weighted, and WHC was reported as g
of water bound per g of sample on dry weight (g water/g DW). The OHC
2.3. Preparation of cladode flour was determined under similar conditions as those of WHC, except that
sunflower oil substituted distilled water, and reported as g of oil bound
To produce the cladode flour (CF), the spines were removed with a per g of sample on dry weight (g oil/g DW).
knife, and the cladodes (with parenchyma and chlorenchyma tissue)
were washed with water, cut into small thin strips and dried in a con- 2.5. Preparation of gluten-free crackers
vection oven (DeLeo, B4AFD, Brazil) at 60 °C for approximately 20 h
(previously tested in our laboratory according to Ayadi et al. (2009), After preliminary trials, a basic cracker recipe was obtained and
López-Cervantes, Sánchez-Machado, Campas-Baypoli, and Bueno- consisted of a flour blend based on sour cassava starch (60%), rice flour
Solano (2011), and Boukid, Boukid, and Mejri (2015). The dried sample (30%), and wholegrain buckwheat flour (10%). Five types of gluten-
was ground in a laboratory knife mill (Solab, SL-31, Brazil), sieved free crackers were prepared as indicated in Table 1. The control cracker
through a 60-mesh screen (granulometry ≤ 250 µm) to obtain a fine (C-C) included the commercial gums CMC and xanthan, each one at 1%.
powder, so the product had similar characteristics to a flour. The re- The cracker containing cactus mucilage (C-CM) included CM at 2%,
sulting cladode flour (Fig. 1B) was packed in vacuum-sealed plastic instead of the commercial gums (CMC and xanthan). The crackers
bags until further use. containing cladode flour were free of commercial gums (CMC and
xanthan) and were incorporated of three different levels of CF: 5% (C-
2.4. Characterization of cladode flour CF5), 10% (C-CF10) and 15% (C-CF15).
All dry ingredients, except sugar and yeast, were mixed in a bowl,
2.4.1. Proximate composition while the liquid ingredients (oil and a portion of water) and sugar were
The proximate analysis of CF was carried out according to the mixed separately to form an emulsion. Meanwhile, the dry yeast was
methods of the AOAC (1990): 934.06 for moisture content; 960.52 for prehydrated with a portion of warm water (35° C). The emulsion and
protein content (N × 6.25); 960.39 for lipid content; 923.03 for ash the activated yeast were incorporated into the dry ingredients and
content; and 985.29 for dietary fiber by the enzymatic-gravimetric mixed manually. The remaining water was added to make a homo-
method. Total carbohydrate content was determined by the difference, genous dough. The total amount of water required to form a cohesive
from the contents of the other components. Results were calculated on a dough varied depending upon the formulation (Table 1).
dry weight (DW) basis. Thereafter, the dough was sequentially sheeted using a sheeting roll
(Arke®, LEV-30, Brazil). The thickness of the dough was gradually re-
2.4.2. Mineral contents duced by passing it through a 5 mm and a 2.5 mm roller gap, respec-
Simultaneous determination of P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Na, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn tively. Then the roller gap was adjusted to 1 mm, and the dough was
and B in the CF was estimated using an inductively coupled plasma – laminated by passing it seven times through the sheeting rolls. During
optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) (Perkin Elmer, Optima 8300, laminating was manually dusted between the layers a mixture of flour
USA), according to the methodology described by Tedesco and Gianello blend/oil (just in half sheet) (Table 1), the sheet was folded in half and

3
M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

rotated 90°. This procedure encourages the separation of the layers 300 µL of 1 N Na2CO3 was added, and the mixtures were incubated for
during baking, which contributes to achieving cracker’s flakiness. The 2 h at room temperature in a dark environment. Hereafter, the absor-
flour blend/oil mixture consisted of a ratio of 4:1 (flour blend: oil, w/ bance was read at 765 nm in an UV–vis spectrophotometer (Shimadzu,
w); for those formulations containing cladode flour (C-CF5, C-CF10, UV-1800, Japan). A standard curve was constructed to quantify the
and C-CF15) were incorporated in the mixture 5%, 10%, and 15% of total phenolic content, using gallic acid at concentrations of 0 to
CF, respectively, based on flour blend. 0.850 mg/mL, and the results were expressed as mg gallic acid
The resulting multilayered sheet was molded with a circular dough equivalent (GAE)/g of sample on dry weight.
cutter (45 mm diameter), and each piece of disk was perforated with a
metal pin (3 holes evenly distributed in the triangular form), and 2.7.2. Carotenoid profile
thereby arranged in baking sheet and placed in a proofing chamber The carotenoid composition of the CF and the crackers were de-
(Venâncio Ltda, Crescepão AC20T, Brazil) for fermentation (32 °C, 80% termined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The
relative air humidity) during 3 h. Afterward, the fermented crackers carotenoid extract was prepared according to the method described by
disks were baked at 170 °C in a forced-air convection oven (Tedesco, Mercadante, Britton, and Rodriguez-Amaya (1998). Briefly, this in-
turbo FTT-150E, Brazil) for 4–5 min, preheated to 190 °C. Baked sam- volved an exhaustive extraction with acetone, transfer to ethyl ether/
ples were then removed from the oven, allowed to cool to room tem- petroleum ether, overnight saponification with 10% KOH in methanol,
perature, and packaged in polyethylene bags until quality measure- washing, and concentration prior to HPLC.
ments. The HPLC system used was an Agilent 1100 Series (Santa Clara,
Two batches per cracker formulation were produced. For the ana- USA) equipped with an online degasser, a quaternary solvent pump, an
lyses of proximate composition and bioactive compounds, some portion automatic injector, and a UV–Vis detector. The carotenoid separation
of the different cracker formulations were reserved and crushed into a was performed according to Zanatta and Mercadante (2007). A C30
powder and packed in plastic bags, and stored in a freezer (−18 °C) reversed phase polymeric column (250 × 4.6 mm; 3 µm particle size)
until further evaluations. (YMC, Japan) was used. The mobile phase was water, methanol and
methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) starting at 5:90:5 (v/v/v), reaching
2.6. Characterization of gluten-free crackers 0:95:5 (v/v/v) in 12 min, 0:89:11 (v/v/v) in 25 min, 0:75:25 (v/v/v) in
40 min, and finally 0:50:50 (v/v/v) after a total of 60 min, at a flow rate
2.6.1. Proximate composition of 1 mL/min and an injection volume of 5 µL at 33 °C. Chromatograms
The proximate analysis of the samples was conducted as described were processed at 450 nm and the spectra were obtained between 250
in Section 2.4.1. and 600 nm. Compounds were identified by comparing the sample re-
tention times with the retention times obtained for the standards under
2.6.2. Color the same conditions. For quantification of carotenoids, standard curves
The color of the samples was determined as stated in Section 2.4.4. of lutein (1–65 µg/mL), β-carotene (5–50 µg/mL), zeaxanthin
(1–40 µg/mL), α-carotene (2–25 µg/mL), and cryptoxanthin (4–100 µg/
2.6.3. Physical properties mL) were used. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ)
After crackers preparation, weight, volume, diameter, and thickness for the carotenoids were, respectively: 6.9 × 10−3 and 1.15 × 10−2
of ten cracker pieces were averaged for each formulation. The samples µg/g for lutein, 6.53 × 10−2 and 10.89 × 10−2 µg/g for β-carotene,
were weighed in a semi-analytical balance, and the volume measured 9.56 × 10−2 and 1.59 × 10−2 µg/g for zeaxanthin, 1.97 × 10−2 and
using the rapeseed displacement method (10–05.01) (AACC, 2001). The 3.28 × 10−2 µg/g for α-carotene, and 2.11 × 10−2 and 3.51 × 10−2
specific volume was calculated from the relationship of volume/weight, µg/g for cryptoxanthin.
and results were expressed as cm3/g. The diameter was measured by
laying ten crackers edge-to-edge with the help of a scale; the same set of 2.7.3. ABTS assay
crackers was rotated 90°, and the diameter was remeasured (average of Antioxidant capacity was performed by the determination of 2,2′-
three measurements) and reported in millimeter. The thickness was azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt
measured by stacking ten crackers one on top of another and taking the (ABTS) radical scavenging activity (Re et al., 1999). The extracts were
average of these ten pieces; the same set of crackers was turned 90°, and obtained in the same way as in the total phenolic content analysis
the thickness was remeasured (average of three measurements) and (Section 2.7.1), except by the extract concentration utilized: 0.1 g of CF
reported in millimeter. and 0.5 g of cracker powder mixed with 12 and 10 mL of 80% me-
The hardness of baked crackers was assessed between 24 and 48 h thanol, respectively. The ABTS radical cation was produced by reacting
after their production using a Texture Analyzer (Stable Micro Systems, 7 mM ABTS stock solution with 140 mM potassium persulfate and al-
TA.XT2i, UK) equipped with a three-point bending rig (HDP/3PB); the lowing the mixture to stand in the dark for 16 h at room temperature
two adjustable supports of the base plate were set 25 mm apart, and the before use. For the assay, the ABTS%+ solution was diluted with ethanol
sample was placed on top; the upper blade moved downwards at a to an absorbance of 0.70 ± 0.02 at 734 nm. An aliquot of 100 µL of
speed of 3 mm/s, measuring the maximum force required to break the each extract was mixed with 1 mL ABTS%+ solution and an absorbance
sample. Ten determinations were made for each formulation and results (734 nm) reading in an UV–vis spectrophotometer (Shimadzu, UV-
were expressed as Newton (N). 1800, Japan) was taken after 6 min. Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetra-
methylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) was used as standard (0–16 µM),
2.7. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity and results were expressed as µmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g of sample
on dry weight.
2.7.1. Total phenolic content
The total phenolic content was determined by the spectro- 2.8. Sensory evaluation of gluten-free crackers
photometric method of Folin-Ciocalteu (Singleton & Rossi, 1965). A
gram of CF or cracker powder were homogenized (1 min) in a high- The sensory evaluation of the cracker samples was conducted using
speed homogenizer (IKA, Ultra-Turrax T25, Germany) with 10 mL or an acceptance test. Each analysis was performed by an untrained panel
5 mL of 80% methanol, respectively; kept 1 h in contact with the sol- of 50 people, with ages between 18 and 59. The samples were provided
vent, and then centrifuged (3000 g, 15 min, 10 °C) (Sigma, 4 K15, on white dishes coded with a three-digit random number. Appearance,
England). A 20 µL aliquot of the supernatant was added to 1.58 mL of color, odor, crunchiness, taste, aftertaste, and overall acceptability were
water and 100 µL of 1 N Folin-Ciocalteu. After reacting for 3 min, considered as acceptance attributes and were evaluated by the panel

4
M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Table 2 literature for the Opuntia ssp. cladodes are in the range of 40–60 % for
Characterization of cladode flour from O. monacantha. TDF, 19–23% for ash, 4–10% for protein, and 1–4% for lipids (Guevara-
Parameter Result Arauza et al., 2015; Stintzing & Carle, 2005), which agrees with this
Component (g/100 g DW)a investigation. Table 2 reveals that potassium (K) was the most abundant
Moisture 5.13 ± 0.13 mineral in O. monacantha CF, followed by calcium (Ca), and magnesium
Protein 5.12 ± 0.19 (Mg), which concur with the results determined by other authors for
Lipid 1.72 ± 0.08
Ash 18.29 ± 0.11
Opuntia genus (Ayadi et al., 2009; Ramírez-Moreno, Marqués, Sánchez-
Total Dietary Fiber (TDF) 45.36 ± 1.74 Mata, & Goñi, 2011). Among microelements, could be highlighted
Insoluble Dietary Fiber (IDF) 32.86 ± 0.38 the substantial amounts of manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn). Due to its
Soluble Dietary Fiber (SDF) 12.50 ± 1.36 high content of fiber (insoluble and soluble fraction) and important
Total Carbohydrateb 74.87 ± 0.54
minerals O. monacantha CF can be used to improve the nutritional
Macrominerals (g/100 g DW)a quality of gluten-free products, as these are frequently made from re-
Phosphorus (P) 0.19 ± 0.01 fined flour and/or starch.
Potassium (K) 4.55 ± 0.49
Calcium (Ca) 2.75 ± 0.21
Aside from their physiological role, fiber-rich ingredients can be
Magnesium (Mg) 1.05 ± 0.08 used for economic and technological purposes (Guillon & Champ,
Sulfur (S) 0.16 ± 0.02 2000). Table 2 also summarizes some technological properties of CF
Sodium (Na) 0.50 ± 0.02 (aw, color, bulk density, swelling, WHC, and OHC).
Microminerals (mg/100 g DW)a The water activity (aw) is a key parameter concerning the con-
Copper (Cu) 0.75 ± 0.21 servation of food products. At aw values below 0.5, no microbial pro-
Zinc (Zn) 17.85 ± 0.35
liferation occurs, so this indicates the relatively high stability of this
Iron (Fe) 2.6 ± 0.57
Manganese (Mn) 250 ± 28.28 flour owing to the application of the drying process. A similar result was
Boron (B) 2.2 ± 0.28 observed by Boukid et al. (2015) for a powder obtained from Ofi cla-
Water activity (aw)
dodes and dried at 60 °C (aw = 0.36).
aw 0.37 ± 0.00 The color parameters of CF showed a high lightness (L*) and a pale
green aspect (Table 2; Fig. 1B). Ayadi et al. (2009) reported comparable
Color
L* 68.83 ± 1.67 values for Ofi cladode flour. Those authors and also Boukid et al. (2015)
a* −6.43 ± 0.57 suggested that CF could be used as a natural dye in bakery products,
b* 23.74 ± 0.25 thus avoiding the addition of other synthetic green coloring agents. The
Functional properties bulk density (Table 2) also presented a value similar to that reported by
Bulk density (g/mL) 0.77 ± 0.01 Ayadi et al. (2009). The CF exhibited a swelling value of 17.49 mL/g,
Swelling (mL/g) 17.49 ± 0.88 which was higher than that previously reported for other vegetable fi-
Water holding capacity (g water/g DW) 7.03 ± 0.19
Oil holding capacity (g oil/g DW) 1.26 ± 0.04
bers, such as apple (7.42 mL/g) and citrus (10.45 mL/g) (Robertson
et al., 2000).
Results are mean ± standard deviation. The O. monacantha CF displayed a water holding capacity (WHC) of
a
All measurements are on dry weight (DW) basis, except the moisture. 7.03 g water/g DW (Table 2). Studies on cladode flour prepared from
b
Calculated by the equation: total carbohydrate = 100 – (protein Ofi are found in the literature. The WHC obtained in our study is similar
(DW) + lipid (DW) + ash (DW)). to the finding of Msaddak et al. (2015) (7.95 g water/g DW), within the
values of López-Cervantes et al. (2011) (6.48–14.44 g water/g DW),
using a hedonic scale of 9 points (ranging from 1, dislike extremely to 9, and higher than that reported by Ayadi et al. (2009) (3.15–6.85 g
like extremely). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of water/g DW). This variation in WHC values described by different au-
the University (Protocol n° 2.139.343). To calculate the percentage of thors for Opuntia plants can be attributed to the species and age of
acceptance of each attribute, the following equation was used cladodes, the degree of milling of the flours and the drying conditions
(Meilgaard, Civille, & Carr, 2007): (López-Cervantes et al., 2011). Its noteworthy that the WHC value
Average acceptance obtained in this research was higher than those reported for maize flour
Acceptance (%) = × 100 (1.42 g/g), rice flour (1.29 g/g), maize starch (1.34 g/g), wheat starch
9
(0.63 g/g), and potato starch (0.17 g/g) (Martínez & Gómez, 2017).
Owing to its high water holding capacity and swelling properties, CF
2.9. Statistical analysis could be appropriate to improve the texture and stability of a variety of
foods such as bakery products.
All the experiments were conducted at least in triplicate, and results Alongside their hydration properties, fibers possess the capacity to
were expressed as a mean ± standard deviation. Statistica 12.0 hold oil. The oil holding capacity (OHC) of fiber is an important func-
(Statsoft Inc., Tulsa, USA) software was used to analyze the data. The tional property because oil plays a significant role in increasing the
means were compared by Tukey’s test at a 5% level of significance using mouthfeel of foods, and also in the prevention of fat and flavor loss
analysis of variance (ANOVA). during cooking (Thebaudin, Lefebvre, Harrington, & Bourgeois, 1997).
Analysis revealed that the OHC of CF was 1.26 g oil/g DW (Table 2),
3. Results and discussion which coincides with the data reported by Ayadi et al. (2009) (between
1.29 and 1.31 g oil/g DW) and by Msaddak et al. (2015) (1.77 g oil/g
3.1. Cladode flour characterization DW), both for Ofi cladode flour.
The interest in the use of fiber-rich ingredients has raised mainly
The proximate composition of the CF from O. monacantha is given in due to their texturizing effects in formulated foods. They can be used as
Table 2. Obtained results showed it contains high levels of fiber (in- functional ingredients to modify the viscosity, avoid syneresis, decrease
soluble and soluble fractions) and ashes, and a minor proportion of calories and as a replacement for fat, being utilized in a range of food
moisture, protein, and lipids. Valente et al. (2010) evaluated the cla- categories, such as baked goods, beverages, confectionery, dairy, frozen
dodes from the same species of this study and reported similar values of dairies, meat, pasta, and soups (Elleuch et al., 2011; Guillon & Champ,
protein (5.4% DW) and lipid content (1.4% DW), and slightly lower ash 2000; Thebaudin et al., 1997).
content (15% DW). In general, the nutritional profile described in the

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M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Table 3
Proximate composition and physical characteristics of gluten-free crackers.
Parameter Formulation

C-C C-CM C-CF5 C-CF10 C-CF15

A
Component (g/100 g DW)
Moisture 7.39 ± 0.05a 6.86 ± 0.14b 5.75 ± 0.14c 5.82 ± 0.06c 5.43 ± 0.06d
Protein 3.61 ± 0.02a 3.98 ± 0.14a 3.82 ± 0.02a 3.94 ± 0.16a 3.83 ± 0.14a
Lipid 11.51 ± 0.41b 12.14 ± 0.29ab 12.62 ± 0.57ab 13.26 ± 0.49a 12.78 ± 0.34a
Ash 4.27 ± 0.04d 4.98 ± 0.05b 4.75 ± 0.03c 5.04 ± 0.05b 5.48 ± 0.03a
Total Dietary Fiber (TDF) 3.48 ± 0.28c 3.20 ± 0.26c 3.66 ± 0.58c 5.09 ± 0.01b 6.58 ± 0.12a
Insoluble Dietary Fiber (IDF) 1.87 ± 0.20d 2.06 ± 0.22 cd 3.13 ± 0.29bc 3.37 ± 0.18ab 4.55 ± 0.51a
Soluble Dietary Fiber (SDF)B 1.61 ± 0.12a 1.14 ± 0.06b 0.53 ± 0.29c 1.72 ± 0.17a 2.02 ± 0.40a
Total CarbohydrateC 77.13 ± 1.06a 75.70 ± 1.04ab 75.15 ± 1.68ab 72.66 ± 1.00ab 71.34 ± 0.88b

Physical characteristics
Weight (g) 2.77 ± 0.13ab 2.86 ± 0.10a 2.58 ± 0.09c 2.63 ± 0.16bc 2.73 ± 0.15abc
Diameter (mm) 40.00 ± 0.62a 40.01 ± 0.21a 40.08 ± 0.38a 40.06 ± 0.32a 40.07 ± 0.19a
Thickness (mm) 3.53 ± 0.03a 3.41 ± 0.09a 2.67 ± 0.03b 2.80 ± 0.05b 3.47 ± 0.03a
Specific volume (cm3/g) 1.88 ± 0.31a 1.90 ± 0.08a 2.07 ± 0.34a 2.01 ± 0.29a 2.14 ± 0.08a
Hardness (N) 17.27 ± 3.77a 16.51 ± 1.47a 14.50 ± 1.42a 16.36 ± 1.78a 17.71 ± 4.11a

Color
L* 71.00 ± 1.10a 70.06 ± 1.09a 60.04 ± 1.48b 52.89 ± 1.58c 47.76 ± 1.56d
a* 3.00 ± 0.08a 3.01 ± 0.05a 0.96 ± 0.14b 0.70 ± 0.06c 0.14 ± 0.03d
b* 18.26 ± 0.16c 18.17 ± 0.89c 21.49 ± 0.22b 22.71 ± 0.14a 23.62 ± 0.18a

C-C: control cracker; C-CM: cracker containing cactus mucilage hydrocolloid; C-CF5: cracker incorporated of 5% cladode flour; C-CF10: cracker incorporated of 10%
cladode flour; C-CF15: cracker incorporated of 15% cladode flour. Results are mean ± standard deviation. Different letters in the same row indicate significant
differences (p < 0.05) by Tukey's test.
A
All values are on dry weight (DW) basis, except the moisture.
B
Calculated by the equation: SDF = TDF - IDF.
C
Calculated by the equation: total carbohydrate = 100 - (protein (DW) + lipid (DW) + ash (DW) + TDF (DW)).

3.2. Gluten-free crackers characterization C-CF15). On the contrary, C-CF5 and C-CF10 presented significantly
lower thickness than C-C (control). This result might be due to the
3.2.1. Proximate composition various amounts of CF used in the CF-incorporated crackers, that im-
The proximate composition of the different gluten-free crackers is parted different balances of insoluble/soluble fiber fractions in each
shown in Table 3. It can be seen that the addition of varying amounts of formulation, and possibly, resulted in different interactions among in-
CF to the recipe significantly (p < 0.05) lowered the moisture content gredients in the blend. A significant decrease on cracker diameter,
of the resulting cracker (Table 3), likely due to the insoluble fiber thickness, weight, and volume was observed by Millar et al. (2017) as a
portion found in the CF. No significant (p > 0.05) differences were result of pulse flour inclusion on wheat flour-based crackers. Nandeesh,
observed in both protein and lipid content among all evaluated sam- Jyotsna, and Venkateswara Rao (2011) reported that the addition of
ples. fibers (differently treated wheat brans) resulted in a stiffer dough that
The ash content ranged from 4.27% (C-C) to 5.48% (C-CF15), being exhibited shorter extensibility and higher resistance to extension, af-
increasingly higher (p < 0.05) in the crackers with a superior pro- fecting the thickness of the soft dough biscuits.
portion of CF, which is explained by the elevated percentage of ash Table 3 also shows the effects of CM and CF addition in the color of
present in the cladodes (18.29%) (Table 2), as already mentioned. the samples and Fig. 1C depicts their appearance. The color parameters
Msaddak et al. (2015) noticed that the inclusion of cladode powder to (L*, a*, and b*) of the cracker containing CM (C-CM) did not vary
cookies increased the amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, significantly (p > 0.05) from the control (C-C). In contrast, the CF
and zinc. Regarding the C-CM sample, even though the mucilage hy- incorporation into the crackers' formulation influenced their color sig-
drocolloid was used at a small quantity (2%) its presence imparted nificantly (p < 0.05). The L* value decreased, indicating that the color
greater ash content than the control (C-C), presumably owing to the of the end product progressively became darker (browner) by the rise of
mucilage's high ash level (15.14%). CF fraction. Besides, a* (red-green profile) value diminished and b*
The total dietary fiber content of C-CM and C-CF5 samples did not (yellow-blue profile) value augmented, highlighting the minor intensity
show significant (p > 0.05) differences in comparison with the control, of red color and the higher intensity of yellow color for respective
whereas the C-CF10 and C-CF15 samples inferred significantly crackers gradually enhanced with CF, attributed to the pigment chlor-
(p < 0.05) higher values. These results demonstrate the crackers' fiber ophyll present in the CF.
enrichment from 10% CF-incorporation level, which is important be-
cause the consumption of fibers has been associated with positive
physiological effects on human health (Elleuch et al., 2011; Guillon & 3.2.3. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity
Champ, 2000). The total phenolic content (TPC) of CF and the various experimental
crackers are demonstrated in Table 4. The CF-incorporated crackers
showed a progressive and significant (p < 0.05) increase in the TPC by
3.2.2. Physical characteristics the increment of CF. Similar findings have also been reported by
Some physical aspects of gluten-free crackers are summarized in Msaddak et al. (2017) when wheat bread was supplemented with CF
Table 3. The tested formulations did not exhibit significant (p > 0.05) (wheat flour substitution from 2.5 to 10% by CF) and such increase was
differences in weight, diameter, specific volume, and hardness; so, these assigned to the phenolic compounds present in the CF. To this regard,
physical parameters were not affected by the replacement of the com- the presence of phenolic compounds, mainly flavonoids and phenolic
mercial gums (CMC and xanthan) with cactus mucilage (C-CM), neither acids, has already been documented for the cactus cladodes (Mena
by the inclusion of cladode flour at different levels (C-CF5, C-CF10, and et al., 2018; Msaddak et al., 2017; Stintzing & Carle, 2005; Valente

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M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Table 4
Total phenolic content, carotenoid composition, and antioxidant activity (ABTS) of cladode flour and gluten-free crackers.
Analysis Sample

Cladode Flour C-C C-CM C-CF5 C-CF10 C-CF15

A e d c b
Total phenolic compounds (mg GAE/g DW) 5.54 ± 0.07 0.26 ± 0.02 0.45 ± 0.03 0.67 ± 0.02 0.80 ± 0.02 1.01 ± 0.04a
Carotenoids (µg/g DW) Lutein 48.79 ± 4.57 n.d. n.d. 0.70 ± 0.00c 1.22 ± 0.06b 1.61 ± 0.21a
β-carotene 27.86 ± 0.09 n.d. n.d. 0.87 ± 0.05c 1.38 ± 0.07b 1.79 ± 0.04a
Zeaxanthin 11.69 ± 0.39 n.d. n.d. 0.21 ± 0.00c 0.34 ± 0.01b 0.49 ± 0.04a
α-carotene 7.52 ± 0.23 n.d. n.d. 0.18 ± 0.01c 0.27 ± 0.01b 0.39 ± 0.01a
Total carotenoidsB 95.86 ± 5.28 n.d. n.d. 1.96 ± 0.06c 3.21 ± 0.14b 4.28 ± 0.29a
C
ABTS (µmol TE/g DW) 66.53 ± 5.54 2.12 ± 0.08e 2.53 ± 0.08d 5.30 ± 0.17c 9.98 ± 0.30b 15.73 ± 0.73a

C-C: control cracker; C-CM: cracker containing cactus mucilage hydrocolloid; C-CF5: cracker incorporated of 5% cladode flour; C-CF10: cracker incorporated of 10%
cladode flour; C-CF15: cracker incorporated of 15% cladode flour.
Results are mean ± standard deviation. Different letters in the same row indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) by Tukey's test. Statistical analysis was done
only between the different crackers (without the cladode flour data).
n.d.: not detected = < LOQ (Limit of quantification).
A
GAE: gallic acid equivalent.
B
Total carotenoids: sum of lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and α-carotene content.
C
TE: trolox equivalent.

et al., 2010). Some studies have suggested that among bioactive com- 2001).
pounds, polyphenols are the most important natural antioxidants to The antioxidant capacity of the CF and the elaborated crackers de-
contribute to advantageous effects on consumers' health (Yang et al., termined by ABTS assay revealed a similar trend to that found in the
2018). Folin-Ciocalteu assay (Table 4). All tested samples showed significantly
Interestingly, the cracker containing cactus mucilage (C-CM) also (p < 0.05) higher values than the control, ranging from 2.53 µmol TE/
exhibited higher TPC compared to the control sample, almost two-fold g DW (C-CM) to 15.73 µmol TE/g DW (C-CF15). The superior amount of
higher. It can be inferred that the mucilage extraction from the cladodes antioxidant activity in the C-CM might result from the presence of
still leaves phenolic compounds associated with the mucilage, which phenolic compounds in the cactus mucilage, while in the CF-in-
probably does not occur in the process for the obtainment of the corporated crackers may derive from the presence of bioactive anti-
commercial gums used in the control cracker. oxidant compounds (phenolic compounds and carotenoids) in the CF. In
Table 4 gives the carotenoid composition of CF and CF-incorporated this respect, Msaddak et al. (2015) suggested that the CF inclusion in
crackers. The consumption of carotenoid pigments has been proposed cookies enhanced their antioxidant potential as well as their stabiliza-
to confer health benefits such as reduce the risk of developing chronic tion against oxidative damage during storage.
degenerative diseases attributed to their role as antioxidants (Burns,
Fraser, & Bramley, 2003; Updike & Schwartz, 2003), so these natural
3.2.4. Sensory evaluation
pigments have received particular attention. Four individual car-
The five different formulations of gluten-free crackers were eval-
otenoids were identified in CF: lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and α-
uated for their sensory attributes with an acceptability test (Table 5).
carotene. The total carotenoid content in CF was determined to be
The sensory analysis indicated no statistical (p > 0.05) differences for
95.86 µg/g DW, corresponding to 51% of lutein, 29% of β-carotene,
appearance, color, and odor attributes of all tested crackers. Indeed,
12% of zeaxanthin, and 8% of α-carotene. Jaramillo-Flores et al. (2003)
with the appearance and color attributes for all samples, ranging from 5
and González-Cruz, Filardo-Kerstupp, Bello-Pérez, Güemes-Vera, and
to 7 (neither like nor dislike to like moderately) of the 9-point hedonic
Bernardino-Nicanor (2012) also reported the presence of lutein and β-
scale, indicates that even for the CF-incorporated crackers which were
carotene as the major carotenoid constituents of Ofi cladodes. In con-
darker in color, specially C-CF10 and C-CF15, these attributes are not
trast to our work, both studies documented the presence of α-cryp-
likely to be a hindrance to product acceptability. A different result was
toxanthin but did not mention the presence of zeaxanthin and α-car-
found by Msaddak et al. (2017) for the cladode flour addition at various
otene.
levels of substitution (2.5 – 10%) to wheat bread, suggesting that more
As examples, some important sources of dietary lutein are spinach
than 7.5% of CF supplementation was manifested with rejection by
(881 µg/g DW), kale (515 µg/g DW), broccoli (84 µg/g DW) and pea
panelists, assigned to the green color increment.
(41 µg/g DW) (Updike & Schwartz, 2003); good sources of β-carotene
Interestingly, it is possible to observe that all samples containing
are carrot (320 µg/g DW), sweet potato (381 µg/g DW) and mango
cactus ingredients provided significantly (p < 0.05) higher crunchi-
(50 µg/g DW) (Burns et al., 2003); whereas good levels of zeaxanthin
ness scores than the control, demonstrating that their utilization af-
can be found in corn (24 µg/g DW) (Updike & Schwartz, 2003). On the
fected positively this attribute. In their work, Guevara-Arauza et al.
other hand, carotenoid content in some cereal grains are reported to be
(2015) reported that the addition of a soluble fiber fraction (mucilage)
found in low amounts, such as in bread wheat (0.1–2.5 µg/g DW),
from nopal cactus on wheat bread rolls resulted in a better distribution
durum wheat (1.5–4.8 µg/g DW), and einkorn (5.3–13.6 µg/g DW)
of starch granules into the dough compared to the control bread. This
(Hidalgo, Brandolini, & Pompei, 2010).
may give us an insight on why the use of cactus ingredients in crackers,
Regarding the gluten-free crackers, it is expected some carotenoid
namely CM – mainly composed of soluble fiber – and CF – mainly
losses during their processing mostly due to the exposure to high
composed of insoluble and soluble fibers – reflected in superior
temperatures of baking (Hidalgo et al., 2010). The proportion of the
crunchiness scores.
individual carotenoids in the prepared crackers changed comparing to
Concerning the taste, it can be inferred that the samples C-CM and
the CF, being the β-carotene the predominant pigment (≅43%), fol-
C-CF5 were the most accepted. The addition of CF from 10% promoted
lowed by lutein (≅38%). The other two carotenoids (zeaxanthin and α-
a decrease in the taste acceptability and also compromised the accep-
carotene) remained in a similar proportion as in the CF. It is cited that
tance of aftertaste, being the C-C15 sample regarded as “unacceptable”.
lutein is more susceptible to oxidation, i.e., small temperature changes
These attributes (taste and aftertaste) might have influenced the lower
are required to reduce this compound rapidly (Rodriguez-Amaya,
overall acceptability of the samples C-CF10 and C-CF15 in comparison

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M. Dick, et al. Food Chemistry 314 (2020) 126178

Table 5
Sensory evaluation (acceptance test) of gluten-free crackers.
AttributeA Formulation

C-C C-CM C-CF5 C-CF10 C-CF15

ab ab a ab
Appearance 6.26 ± 1.17 6.38 ± 1.32 6.96 ± 1.48 6.22 ± 1.66 5.93 ± 1.55b
Color 5.90 ± 1.43b 6.08 ± 1.50ab 6.80 ± 1.49a 6.11 ± 1.59ab 5.74 ± 1.77b
Odor 6.32 ± 1.30a 6.62 ± 1.16a 6.33 ± 1.45a 6.28 ± 1.60a 5.93 ± 1.64a
Crunchiness 5.50 ± 1.95b 6.60 ± 1.50a 7.15 ± 1.37a 6.41 ± 1.44a 6.48 ± 1.47a
Taste 6.46 ± 1.39bc 7.16 ± 1.36ab 7.35 ± 1.42a 6.07 ± 1.58c 5.67 ± 1.83c
Aftertaste 6.18 ± 1.52ab 6.66 ± 1.45ab 6.72 ± 1.77a 5.74 ± 1.61bc 4.98 ± 2.11c
Overall acceptability 6.16 ± 1.31b 7.02 ± 1.06a 7.38 ± 1.11a 6.27 ± 1.37b 5.73 ± 1.70b

C-C: control cracker; C-CM: cracker containing cactus mucilage hydrocolloid; C-CF5: cracker incorporated of 5% cladode flour; C-CF10: cracker incorporated of 10%
cladode flour; C-CF15: cracker incorporated of 15% cladode flour. Results are mean ± standard deviation. Different letters in the same row indicate significant
differences (p < 0.05) by Tukey's test.
A
Scored on 9-point hedonic scales where 9 = like extremely, 8 = like very much, 7 = like moderately, 6 = like slightly, 5 = neither like nor dislike, 4 = dislike
slightly, 3 = dislike moderately, 2 = dislike very much, and 1 = dislike extremely.

with the C-CF5 sample. In this respect, Sepúlveda, Gorena, Chiffelle, interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influ-
Sáenz, and Catalán (2013) stated that taste and aroma of foods for- ence the work reported in this paper.
mulated with cladode flour can be adversely impacted by its inclusion,
due to its herbaceous flavor. The sensory characteristics could mostly Acknowledgments
be affected if the powder derives from the cladodes with the epidermis
(peel) where there are the major amounts of chlorophylls; nevertheless, All authors are grateful to the Brazilian agencies, Coordenação de
the flour prepared from the whole cladode (with peel) demonstrated Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Brazil) and
higher content of soluble fiber and bioactive compounds. Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul
The overall acceptability rating reflected the scores obtained in the (FAPERGS, Brazil) (Project number 17/2551-0000945-2) for their fi-
other attributes and indicated that the cracker containing cactus mu- nancial support provided for this research. We also would like to thank
cilage (C-CM) and the one supplemented with 5% cladode flour (C-CF5) professor Plinho Hertz for kindly supplying the raw material (O. mon-
were those that had greater overall acceptability, reaching an accep- acantha cladodes) for this study.
tance rate of 78% and 82%, respectively, which were superior to the
control cracker. Appendix A. Supplementary data

4. Conclusions Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://

doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126178.
This study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing the mucilage and
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