Evaluación de sistemas biotecnológicos de pitahaya (Hylocereus megalanthus) como sustituto alimentario

Abstract

The study consisted of evaluating biotechnological systems of pitahaya as a food substitute. Cellular agriculture provides food solutions and increases large-scale production; these technologies are emerging as an innovative food alternative of the future. A treatment of pitahaya seeds (acid and basic solution, water, and incubation) was carried out, which allowed the development of seedlings in vitro. Once the plants were obtained, callogenesis was induced, with the optimization of culture media, based on the composition of Murashige - Skoog and Gamborg, and different phytohormones: cytokinins (6-Benzylaminopurine and kinetin), auxins (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and naphthaleneacetic acid). The biomass obtained allowed the establishment of cell suspensions and the identification of the growth curve. Finally, the nutritional properties of the cell culture were compared with the fruit. The results suggest that to remove the mucilage from the seeds, they should be immersed in water for 1 h. In addition, the ideal medium for callogenesis is Gamborg with 2 mg per L of naphthaleneacetic acid and 1 mg per L of kinetin. In the cell suspensions, higher phenol and antioxidant contents were observed at 14 days with 34.074 mgGAE per g and 32.901 percent respectively, while at 21 days a high value of flavonoids was obtained: 29.465 mgQE per g. Finally, the nutritional profile of the cell culture shows characteristic value in fiber 2.53 percent and protein 1.61. Therefore, the cells have significant nutritional properties, which could constitute a food substitute.