Prickly pear sheets: a new fruit product

Summary. Dried sheets (Teen‐Edin) from prickly pear (Taifi cultivar) fruits were made and the composition of the pulp and the optimum formulation sheet was analysed. The optimum formulation was obtained by adding to fruit pulp (100%), 10% sucrose, 1.1% citric acid, 0.15% sodium metabisulphite, and 0.5% olive oil (w/w). Sodium metabisulphite improved the colour and citric acid produced a similar acid taste to the traditional apricot sheets. The sheets were highly acceptable to a small panel and have potential for manufacture as a possible alternative to apricot sheets (Kamar‐Eddin). The technique could also be used for preservation in many other arid parts of the world where prickly pears grow.