Evaluating the effect of additives on stability of betacyanin pigments from Basella rubra in a model beverage system during storage.

The effect of selected additives (catechin, ascorbic acid, β-cyclodextrin and EDTA) on the stability of betacyanin pigments from Basella rubra in a model beverage system was investigated and they exhibited remarkable outcomes. The major betacyanin pigment in B. rubra extract was identified to be gomphrenin-I using HPLC-ESI-MS analysis method. The degradation kinetics of betacyanin pigment in the model beverage variants was established, and temperature was found to be the most detrimental factor. If effect of additives on stability of B. rubra betacyanin pigments in model beverage stored at 4 °C in the absence of light and oxygen is considered, maximum stabilizing effect was demonstrated by catechin (t1/2 203.9 days) followed by EDTA (t1/2 187.3 days) and then β-cyclodextrin (t1/2 144.4 days) when compared with control (t1/2 119.5 days) whereas, ascorbic acid acted as a prooxidant and reduced storage stability of the pigment (t1/2 78.8 days).