Physico-chemical characterization of prickly pear (Opunicia Ficus indica) in the semi-arid region of Bahia State, Brazil

In Brazil, prickly pear has gained increasing attention, mainly due to its nutritional benefits of health promotion, however, its postharvest conservation is still incipient and has to be evaluated. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical and physico-chemical characteristics of prickly pear from three municipalities in the semi-arid region of the state of Bahia-Brazil. The fruits were harvested at random at the commercial harvest point stage, when the bark began to show a change of color from green to yellowish green. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, using the software GENES software, and the averages were compared using the Tukey test at the 5% probability level. The physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits were evaluated. Evaluating the effect of the place of cultivation on these characteristics, it is verified that the municipality of Guanambi presented the lowest value of acidity and higher pH, proving that there is climatic influence on the physico-chemical characteristics of the fruits. It was verified that the values ​​found for the different variables studied, cactus pear, from the municipalities of Guanambi and Riacho de Santana present commercial properties more interesting for in natura consumption and agroindustrial use. Key words: Opuntia ficus, indica, post-harvest quality, cultivation site.