Extraction and profiling of functional colourant from beetroots: A review.

Abstract

Given the importance of colour in the acceptance or rejection of a product, the use of colorants is a wide spread practice within the food industry. At the same time, with the increasing consumers’ awareness of the health effects that some artificial colorants can exert, there is a growing tendency to prioritize foodstuffs containing natural additives. Beta vulgaris known as Beetroot is a member of a family of Chenopodiaceae and is widely used as a natural food colorant. Its distinctive color is due to nitrogen-containing water-soluble pigments called betalains. Some non-conventional technologies (cryogenic freezing, aqueous two-phase extraction, gamma irradiation, pulsed electric field, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction and membrane processing) have the potential to improve extraction rate. Beetroot is an exquisite cradle of nutrients, including proteins, sucrose, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber. They also contain an appreciable amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidants such as, carotenoids and flavonoids. Recent studies evidenced that beetroot consumption had favorable physiological benefits, leading to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, artheritis, liver damage and intestinal inflammation.