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Effects of heat, pH, antioxidant, agitation and light on betacyanin stability using red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) juice and concentrate as models

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Abstract

Red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is rich in antioxidants. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of heat pasteurization, pH adjustment, ascorbic acid addition as well as storage under agitation and light or dark condition on betacyanin content in red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) juice and concentrate. The concentrate was produced by concentrating clarified red-fleshed dragon fruit juice in a rotary evaporator at 40 °C. UV-Visible spectrophotometer was used for analyzing betacyanin content. Addition of 0.25 % ascorbic acid, pH 4.0, and pasteurization at 65 °C for 30 min were selected as the best processing conditions to retain betacyanin content in red-fleshed dragon fruit juice. Storage at the agitation speed of 220 rpm showed that the concentrated samples had higher betacyanin stability compared to juice, while both juice and concentrate had almost similar betacyanin stability when tested for storage in the presence of light. In summary, ascorbic acid stabilized betacyanin in both juice and concentrate at agitated or non-agitated conditions. In contrast, light degraded betacyanin in both juice and concentrate models.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Monash University Malaysia for financial support during the duration of this study and Great Sun Pitaya Sdn. Bhd. for sponsoring red-fleshed dragon fruit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 46150, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia

    Yen-Ming Wong & Lee-Fong Siow

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  1. Yen-Ming Wong
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  2. Lee-Fong Siow
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Correspondence to Lee-Fong Siow.

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Wong, YM., Siow, LF. Effects of heat, pH, antioxidant, agitation and light on betacyanin stability using red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) juice and concentrate as models. J Food Sci Technol 52, 3086–3092 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-014-1362-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-014-1362-2

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