{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,6]],"date-time":"2026-04-06T15:14:38Z","timestamp":1775488478739,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":99,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,11]],"date-time":"2021-02-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1613001600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Consumer interest in foods with enhanced nutritional quality has increased in recent years. The nutritional and bioactive characterization of fruits and their byproducts, as well as their use in the formulation of new food products, is advisable, contributing to decrease the global concerns related to food waste and food security. Moreover, the compounds present in these raw materials and the study of their biological properties can promote health and help to prevent some chronic diseases. Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (prickly pear) is a plant that grows wild in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world, being a food source for ones and a potential for others, but not properly valued. This paper carries out an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds of prickly pear and its constituents, as well as its main biological activities and applications. It is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins and bioactive compounds. Many of its natural compounds have interesting biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and antimicrobial. The antioxidant power of prickly pear makes it a good candidate as an ingredient of new food products with fascinating properties for health promotion and\/or to be used as natural extracts for food, pharmaceutic or cosmetic applications. In addition, it could be a key player in food security in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, where there are often no more plants.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules26040951","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,12]],"date-time":"2021-02-12T16:12:10Z","timestamp":1613146330000},"page":"951","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":82,"title":["Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.: A Multi-Benefit Potential to Be Exploited"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6195-0833","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mafalda Alexandra","family":"Silva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Alimenta\u00e7\u00e3o e Nutri\u00e7\u00e3o, Instituto Nacional de Sa\u00fade Doutor Ricardo Jorge, I.P., Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"REQUIMTE-LAQV\/Faculdade de Farm\u00e1cia da Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n\u00b0. 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0151-2062","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"T\u00e2nia Gon\u00e7alves","family":"Albuquerque","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Alimenta\u00e7\u00e3o e Nutri\u00e7\u00e3o, Instituto Nacional de Sa\u00fade Doutor Ricardo Jorge, I.P., Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"REQUIMTE-LAQV\/Faculdade de Farm\u00e1cia da Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n\u00b0. 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Instituto Universit\u00e1rio Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Paula","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Universit\u00e1rio Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"CiiEM\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"GENA\u2014Grupo de Estudos de Nutri\u00e7\u00e3o Aplicada, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Renata","family":"Ramalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Universit\u00e1rio Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"CiiEM\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"GENA\u2014Grupo de Estudos de Nutri\u00e7\u00e3o Aplicada, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Filipa","family":"Vicente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto Universit\u00e1rio Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"CiiEM\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"GENA\u2014Grupo de Estudos de Nutri\u00e7\u00e3o Aplicada, Campus Universit\u00e1rio, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6767-6596","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Beatriz P. P.","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"REQUIMTE-LAQV\/Faculdade de Farm\u00e1cia da Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n\u00b0. 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Helena S.","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Alimenta\u00e7\u00e3o e Nutri\u00e7\u00e3o, Instituto Nacional de Sa\u00fade Doutor Ricardo Jorge, I.P., Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"REQUIMTE-LAQV\/Faculdade de Farm\u00e1cia da Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n\u00b0. 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"European Commission (2020, September 14). Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Off. J. Eur. 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