Organoleptic diversity and sensory wheel of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) produced under agroecological management in the Mexican semi-desert

Introduction Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) constitutes a strategic resource in arid and semi-arid zones. Despite this, its quality characterization has been restricted to physicochemical parameters, highlighting a notable absence of sensory evaluations that describe the complexity of its consumption experience. Given this gap, the research aimed to characterize the sensory profile of prickly pear produced under agroecological management in the semi-desert of Zacatecas, Mexico. Methods Using a trained panel and multivariate statistical tools, the study sought to determine discriminant attributes and propose an initial approximation of a hierarchical sensory wheel for the species. A cross-sectional study using a trained panel ( n = 35) was employed to evaluate 41 sensory attributes related to aroma, flavor, appearance, and texture. The statistical treatment included a repeated measures Analysis of Variance and a Bonferroni post-hoc test ( p ≤ 0.05), followed by a Benjamini-Hochberg False Discovery Rate correction to control for multiple comparisons. Subsequently, a Principal Component Analysis was applied to typify the sensory profiles based on significant attributes. Results Distinct identity profiles were established. The “Blanca Cristalina” cultivar stood out for its aromatic complexity and varietal typicality (distinctive vegetable notes), while the “Amarilla Plátano” cultivar consolidated itself as the archetype of textural quality (maximum juiciness and crunchiness). Discussion Prickly pear produced under agroecological management from Zacatecas possesses a distinctive organoleptic diversity that transcends traditional physicochemical parameters. Furthermore, the proposed sensory wheel offers a common standardized language, establishing a methodological basis for future evaluations of the species.