Cactus Extract Powder

The flattened green stem segments of Opuntia ficus-indica, the prickly pear cactus, supply this cactus extract, while the red fruit that follows the flowers is a separate material. Water extraction concentrates the soluble stem fraction, and the liquor is dried into a light brown powder that disperses in water.

This is a 10:1 ratio extract milled to 80 mesh, and it carries no marker percentage. A second listing carries the same species and part under the nopal name, and prickly pear fruit is covered by its own extract and a freeze-dried powder. This cactus extract carries no declared mucilage figure.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0239 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Bark & Stem, Gummies & Chews, Plant Extracts, Prickly pear, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Opuntia ficus-indica Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., the Indian fig or prickly pear, a large tree-like cactus of the Cactaceae family grown across Mexico, the Mediterranean and other dry regions. The part used is the stem. What looks like a leaf is a flattened stem segment called a cladode or pad. Fruit, flowers and seed are not part of this ingredient.

The pad is a water-storing tissue full of mucilage, a branched polysaccharide that swells in water and forms a slippery, gel-like solution. It also holds pectin, organic acids, calcium oxalate crystals and flavonol glycosides such as isorhamnetin derivatives.

Cactus is a cover term, so a specification that says only cactus extract could mean pad, fruit or seed oil. The Latin name and the stem identify this one.

Cactus Extract vs Powder & Fruit Forms

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Stem Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried cactus pad	A dispersible concentrated pad extract is wanted
Cactus Nopal Extract Powder	Ratio extract of the same species and part under the nopal name	The nopal naming is preferred for the same pad extract
Prickly Pear Extract Powder	Ratio extract of the prickly pear fruit	The fruit, not the pad, is the target
Freeze-Dried Prickly Pear Powder	Freeze-dried prickly pear fruit, milled	A gently dried fruit powder is wanted, with the fruit intact

The 10:1 ratio records how much cactus pad went into the extract. It gives no figure for mucilage, pectin or flavonoids, and none is attached to this product. Mucilage dissolves slowly in water and builds viscosity, so a hot-water extract of the pad carries it into the powder, where it affects how the powder wets.

The three siblings change the basis of the specification. The nopal listing shares the species and part, the fruit extract moves to the sweet pulp, and the freeze-dried powder keeps the whole fruit. A formula that wants a stem-based, mucilage-bearing cactus ingredient starts here.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Opuntia ficus-indica
Plant Part	Bark & Stem
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Prickly Pear Cactus Pad
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Instant Drink Powder Bases

Cactus extract suits instant drink powders where a slightly thicker mouthfeel helps the cup. The mucilage hydrates over a few minutes, giving the drink a smooth, faintly slippery body, and citrus or lime flavors cover the plant’s mild green note.

Two-Piece Capsule Lots

The pad extract fills two-piece capsules once a flow aid is blended in. Mucilage makes the powder attract water, so fill rooms are kept dry, and disintegration is worth testing on the finished fill because the gel can slow release.

Chewable Gummy Matrices

Pectin gummies can carry cactus extract at modest inclusion. Its own mucilage and pectin blend with the gummy base, and the extract goes in after the cooked mass has cooled below the setting temperature to protect the polysaccharides.

Sachet Blends for Stick Fills

Sachets combine the extract with a dispersible carrier or sweetener. A matched particle size avoids sifting, and a dry filling room matters because a mucilage-bearing powder becomes tacky as it takes up humidity. Heat-sealed stick film stops humidity from reaching the mucilage, which would otherwise gel at the surface of the powder.

Formulation Notes

The powder is light brown with a faint green, slightly vegetable aroma and a bland, faintly sour taste. In water it disperses slowly to a hazy tan liquid that thickens gently as the mucilage hydrates.

To avoid clumps, sprinkle the powder into a vortex or premix it with a dry carrier before adding liquid. Polysaccharide-rich extracts take up humidity quickly and set into lumps, so keep the liner closed between draws and use the contents in order. Calcium and acids in a drink will change how thick the mucilage solution becomes, which is worth a bench trial before scale-up. Cactus extract powder is easy to over-hydrate, because mucilage swells to many times its dry volume. Letting the hydrated drink stand for a short time produces a smoother, thicker body than a quick stir.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.