Enhanced mass transfer during solid–liquid extraction of gamma-irradiated red beetroot

The exposure to gamma-irradiation pretreatment increases cell wall permeabilization, resulting in loss of turgor pressure, which led to the increase of extractability of betanin from red beetroot. The degree of extraction of betanin was investigated using gamma irradiation as a pretreatment prior to the solid–liquid extraction process and compared with control beetroot samples. The beetroot subjected to different doses of gamma irradiation (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 kGy) and control was dipped in an acetic acid medium (1% v/v) to extract the betanin. The diffusion coefficients for betanin as well as ionic component were estimated considering Fickian diffusion. The results indicated an increase in the diffusion coefficient of betanin (0.302×10−9–0.463×10−9 m2/s) and ionic component (0.248×10−9–0.453×10−9 m2/s) as the dose rate increased (from 2.5 to 10.0 kGy). The degradation constant was found to increase (0.050–0.079 min−1) with an increase gamma-irradiation doses (2.5–10.0 kGy), indicating lower stability of the betanin as compared to control sample at 65 °C.