Opuntia Stricta fruit pulp enrichment in ketchup formulation: Effect on physicochemical, bioactive, and sensory acceptability

Abstract

The opuntia stricta fruit, known for its nutritional richness and abundant secondary metabolites, offers significant potential for value-added food products. This study aimed to develop a novel ketchup formulation by substituting varying proportions of tomato paste with opuntia stricta fruit pulp (OSFP) in ratios of 20 %, 50 %, 80 %, and 100 %. The control sample, consisting of tomato paste without OSFP, and a commercial ketchup (CKetchup) served as benchmark for comparing the physicochemical parameters, bioactive content, and sensory attributes of the final products. The results indicated that incorporating OSFP into the ketchup formulation significantly affected the total soluble solids, titratable acidity, final pH, chroma, and textural properties, while decreasing the L* values and water activity (p 0.05). Overall, incorporating OSFP into ketchup enhances its bioactive compounds and offers a potential increase in dietary antioxidants, highlighting its beneficial impact on global nutrition.

Keywords

• Opuntia stricta
• Ketchup
• Flavonoids
• Betalain content
• Texture
• Sensory attributes