Betalain Stability and Bioactivity in Food Systems

Betalains are water-soluble pigments responsible for red-violet and yellow-orange hues in certain plants and fungi. Their incorporation into food systems offers dual functionality as natural colourants and health-promoting agents, notably through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the practical use of betalains is constrained by their sensitivity to environmental factors such as pH, temperature, light, oxygen and metal ions. Structural features—such as glycosylation and molecular substituents—influence pigment stability and rates of degradation. Extraction approaches range from solvent-based methods to advanced ionic-liquid systems, while encapsulation techniques—employing carriers like maltodextrin, gums or glycerol—have been shown to enhance thermal and storage stability, protect against oxidative loss and improve bioaccessibility during digestion. In vitro and ex vivo studies demonstrate that optimised delivery formats can preserve bioactivity through gastrointestinal transit and afford functional applications in beverages, confectionery and meat products. The valorisation of agricultural by-products as pigment sources underpins a circular-economy ethos, while ongoing research seeks to balance industrial scalability, cost-effectiveness and regulatory compliance for widespread adoption.

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Betalain Stability and Bioactivity in Food Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in betalain stability and bioactivity in food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Betalains: Nitrogen-containing water-soluble pigments, subdivided into betacyanins (red-violet) and betaxanthins (yellow-orange).

Betacyanins: A subgroup of betalains characterised by a cyclo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine moiety, responsible for reddish hues.

Betaxanthins: A subgroup of betalains formed by conjugation with amino acids or amines, imparting yellow to orange colour.

Encapsulation: A technique to entrap sensitive compounds within a carrier matrix, enhancing stability against environmental stressors.

Bioaccessibility: The fraction of a compound released from its food matrix in the gastrointestinal tract and available for absorption.

References

1. Valorisation of red beet waste: one-step extraction and separation of betalains and chlorophylls using thermoreversible aqueous biphasic systems. Green Chemistry (2023).
2. Ultrasound-assisted extraction and encapsulation of betalain from prickly pear: Process optimization, in-vitro digestive stability, and development of functional gummies. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry (2024).
3. Betalains and their applications in food: The current state of processing, stability and future opportunities in the industry. Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences (2022).