Nopal fruits (Opuntia spp.) represent a valuable food in various Latin America countries. Typically, the seeds are discarded. However, they could contain basic components that might enable their use as a nutritional supplement or as another product convenient for the food industry. The objective of this paper was to perform a physical and chemical characterization of the seeds of three species of Opuntia (O. Heliabravoana, O. Xoconostle, and O. ficus-indica) to provide data that will help determine their potential use. Fruits were collected in different municipalities of Hidalgo State, Mexico; its seeds were extracted, dried, and analyzed. The results reveal that, except for small differences, the seeds had similarity in the physical characteristics of... |