Betaxanthins and antioxidant capacity in Stenocereus pruinosus: Stability and use in food

•Stenocereus pruinosus fruits are a potential source of natural yellow food colorants.•Pitaya yellow pigments are stabilized by low-temperature storage and ascorbic acid.•H° values of beverages pigmented with betaxanthin were 64.6 to 87.1.•H° values of gummies pigmented with betaxanthin were 69.0 to 86.2.•Betaxanthins were more stable in gelatin gummies than in beverages.

Betalains are important pigments for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industry. In the yellow Stenocereus pruinosus fruits (pitayas), total betalain concentration, Folin-Ciocalteu reduction capacity, and antiradical capacity per dry weight were 2345.9 μg g− 1, 7.3 mg gallic acid equivalents g− 1, and 48.8 μmol Trolox equivalent g− 1, respectively. The stability of betaxanthins, which represent 89% of total betalains in yellow pitayas, was evaluated over a range of pH, temperature, as well as in the presence of food additives. Maximum stability was observed at pH 6.6, and addition of ascorbic acid increased the half-life 1.8 times. Thermal stability at pH 6.48 ± 0.05 was also evaluated from 50 °C to 80 °C, over which the activation energy for betaxanthin degradation was determined to be 66.2 kJ mol− 1. Model gelatin gummies and beverages were then prepared with pitaya juice or pulp, and pigment retention and color parameters were investigated during storage under various conditions. To match the yellow color of commercial products, gummies were supplemented with 4.6% w/w juice or pulp, and beverages were supplemented with 5% w/v juice, achieving H° values of 69.0-86.2° and 64.6-87.1°, respectively. Results indicate that betaxanthins were more stable in gummies than in beverages, and that pigment retention increased when products were stored in the dark or at low temperatures. Also, different changes in color during storage were observed between gummies and beverages.

Graphical abstractDownload high-res image (252KB)Download full-size image