火龙果花的研究现状与开发前景

对火龙果的种植概况、品种资源以及火龙果花的生物学性状、功效成分、产品试制等方面的研究进行了综述，并根据氨基酸含量分析数据，对火龙果花中必需氨基酸和药用氨基酸进行了营养学评价，阐明了火龙果花开发利用的良好前景。

Research Progress and Development of Pitaya Flower

Originated in the Central America, pitaya have been spread for cultivation in 20 countries or regions. Pitaya flower has many medical benefits such as lowering blood pressure, lung-nourishing, beauty care, etc. Pi- taya have a long period of flowering and produce a huge number of pitaya flower each year. The recent research and developments of pitaya are reviewed in terms of planting area and cultivars as well as the biological charac- teristics and functional constituents of pitaya flower and pilot trial of pitaya flower products. Essential amino acids and medical amino acids were evaluated nutritionally based on the available data. The evaluation showed that pi- taya flower contained limited amount of Met ＋ Cys amino acids and large amount of Leu and Try amino acids and similar amount of lie, Phe ＋ Tyr and Thr amino acids to the pattern spectrum which FAO/WHO revised in 1973. A good prospect for development of pitaya flower is also described.