Cactus (Prickly) Pear

MATURITY & QUALITY

Maturity Indices

Fruit size and fullness, external color changes from green to yellow or red, abscission of the glochids (tufts of very small spines), fruit firmness, and flattening of the floral cavity.

Cactus pears should be picked when fully-ripe to assure good flavor quality.

Quality Indices

• Uniformity and intensity of the characteristic color of each cultivar (pale-green, yellow, orange, red, or purple)
• Size
• Freedom from defects and decay.
• There are large differences among cultivars in total soluble solids (12-17%), titratable acidity (0.03-0.12%), pH (6.0-6.6), and ascorbic acid contents (20-40 mg/100g fresh weight)

TEMPERATURE & CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE (CA)

Optimum Temperature

6-8°C (43-46°F); storage potential is 2-5 weeks; depending on cultivar, ripeness stage, and harvest season.

Optimum Relative Humidity

90 to 95%  packaging in perforated plastic bags or box liner is effective in reducing water loss under lower relative humidities.

Rates of Respiration

Cactus pear is a non-climacteric fruit with relatively low respiration rate [15-20 ml CO₂/kg·h at 0°C (68°F)].

To calculate heat production multiply ml CO₂/kg·h by 440 to get Btu/ton/day or by 122 to get cal/metric ton/day.

Rates of Ethylene Production

Less than 0.3 µl/kg·h at 20°C (68°F)

Responses to Ethylene

No published information but since cactus pears are picked fully-ripe it is likely that they are not affected by postharvest exposure to ethylene.

Responses to Controlled Atmospheres (CA)

Limited research (in Italy) indicates that storage of cactus pears at 5°C (41°F)in 2% O₂ + 2-5% CO₂delays ripening and extends storage-life (based on appearance quality) to 4-8 weeks (compared to 2-4 weeks in air storage).