Basella rubra fruit juice betalains as a colorant in food model systems and shelf-life studies to determine their realistic usability

Basella rubra is a popular green leafy vegetable in South India bearing red-violet fruits that accumulate betalains. In the present report, B. rubra fruit juice betalains were explored in novel food model systems as a natural colorant in banana spread (BS), intermediate moisture foods (IMF), banana and lemon juice ready-to-serve (RTS) beverage fortification, followed by the quality evaluation during storage (BS for 1 year, IMF for 2 months, banana and lemon juice RTS beverage for 3 months), along with sensory acceptability. The retention of betalain was good after storage in BS (95.8%), IMF (60%), banana RTS beverage (58%), and lemon juice RTS beverage (76%), with no microbial growth observed after storage at 5 degrees C. The BS and banana RTS beverage showed good sensory quality with scores greater than 8 on a 15-point scale, with no alteration in product quality. Moreover, it provides a natural source of healthy ingredients. Practical applications Betalains from plant sources are used for various applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries as a functional ingredient. They are water-soluble pigments exhibiting three times higher tinctorial strength and stability at lower pH than anthocyanins. B. rubra betalains could compete with commercial beetroot, which has an unpleasant geosmin flavor and a lower quantity available for sustainable use in large industrial applications as a natural colorant. The present study explores B. rubra fruits as a rich source of betalains for the development of food model systems and conducts shelf-life studies to determine its practical ease of use with maximum retention in foods. The information this study provides will encourage scientists to investigate common natural sources in everyday industrial-scale food products for their ability to confer health benefits.