BETALAIN AND PHENOLIC COMPOSITIONS, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF TUNISIAN RED BEET (BETA VULGARIS L. CONDITIVA) ROOTS AND STEMS EXTRACTS

In the present study, betalains content, phenolic composition, and antioxidant activity of different parts of red beet (Beta vulgaris L. conditiva) (i. e., roots and stems) were compared. Crude extract of root showed the highest betalain content with a maximum of 53 +/- 4 mg betanin eq and 46 +/- 3 mg vulgaxantin I eq g(-1) of extract stems showed higher total phenolic concentration than roots, ranging between 2.0 +/- 0.4 and 14.6 +/- 0.5 mg gallic acid eq(-1) of extract. Chemical composition was analyzed using LC-MS. Betalains (vulgaxanthin I, betanin, and isobetanin) and phenolics (gallic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, ellagic acid myricetin, quercetin, rutin, kampferol) were identified in roots and stems. Betalain extract obtained from roots showed higher antioxidant activity than extract obtained from stems.