PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Bustos, Oscar E. TI - Alcoholic Beverage from Chilean <em>Opuntia Ficus Indica</em> AID - 10.5344/ajev.1981.32.3.228 DP - 1981 Jan 01 TA - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture PG - 228--229 VI - 32 IP - 3 4099 - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/32/3/228.short 4100 - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/32/3/228.full SO - Am J Enol Vitic.1981 Jan 01; 32 AB - Two problems affect growing of prickly pears ("tunas") in Chile: the harvest system used and the demand for only large-size fruit by consumers in fresh markets.Small-size tunas were tested for the elaboration of an alcoholic beverage. The fruit was fermented and different levels of yeast, citric acid and SO2 were tried.The clarified juice was analyzed for its different and nonalcoholic components and fermentation rates. Components are dependent upon the acidity of the initial must.Juice from the nontreated fruit (blank) produced only a very strong vinegar (surface contamination).In tasting, both wine and alcohol demonstrated a very good enological quality.