ABSTRACT
At present, the trend in the consumption of functional foods is increasing; the world population is interested in acquiring them due to its nutritional and functional benefits. The plant Stenocereus queretaroensis belongs to the Cactaceae family and it is endemic to Mexico. Stenocereus queretaroensis is widely distributed in the states of Jalisco, Querétaro, Zacatecas, Colima, and Aguascalientes. The Cactaceae family has great expansion potential such as the prickle pear that is commercialized internationally, reason why there’s a great interest on cultivating this plant on marketing, processing alternatives and new food development. As with most products, to develop a S. queretaroensis food it is necessary to establish a quality control system based on fruit selection that includes size and color. S. queretaroensis represents a perspective for the development of new functional foods, for it contains phytochemical compounds that contribute to health benefits. The objective of this review is to provide some perspectives focused on the development of functional foods formulated with active ingredients of the S. queretaroensis fruit.
