Cactus pear (Opuntia sp.) is a highly perishable fruit that starts to deteriorate after several days of storage at room temperature. After two weeks at room temperature, 70% of the fruit shows signs of deterioration. Cactus pear quality for stored pears depends on harvest techniques and on practices for prolonging shelf life. A pneumatic cauterizing machine with a resistive heating element was used to seal cactus pears on their peduncle. More effective contact between the heater element and fruit was obtained after cutting the peduncle. Internal pulp temperature was measured with NTC thermistors and it was found that after heating at 200 degrees C for 30 s, pulp temperature increased to 60 degrees C. Surface temperature was measured with a thermal infrared camera. Cactus pear shelf life, water loss, firmness and Brix were evaluated using piston pressures of 50, 100, 150 and 200 kPa during 30 s at cauterizing temperatures of 150, 180, 200 and 240 degrees C. The best shelf life was obtained after pressing the fruit with 100 kPa during 30 sat a temperature of 200 degrees C. Thirty-seven days after being cauterized, fruits began to rot, and half of the fruit was not marketable after 63 days. Pulp firmness decreased by 81% after 60 storage days, and soluble solids increased by 105%. Pears that did not seal properly were detected using thermal imaging three days after cauterizing. Pears were sliced and cauterized again unless the rotting area was over 50% and firmness lower than 15 N cm(-2). (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.