dried in a vacuum at 50 u00b0 c after milling through a 0 5 mm sieve a homogeneous free flowing powder is produced manufacture of a dry extract of cactus pear cladodes and cactus pear fruit skin 50 50 m m thick extract prepared as described in example 1d using water as the extraction medium is mixed with 30 microcrystalline cellulose calculated on the basis of the dry weight and gently spray dried manufacture of a dry extract of cactus pear cladodes and cactus pear fruit skin 50 50 m m thick extract prepared as described in example 1d using water as the extraction medium is mixed with 30 microcrystalline cellulose calculated on the basis of the dry weight and lyophilised all drying processes described in example 3 are suitable for converting to a dry extract without resulting in a statistically significant reduction in the hypoglycaemic effect after the addition of maltodextrin as a drying adjuvant in a ratio of 70 native extract 30 maltodextrin the aqueous thick extract prepared as described in example 1d was converted to a dry extract preparation by spray drying this extract preparation is fully water soluble and can be added to drink concentrates sodas dietetic foods and dairy products in concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 if in place.