Thermal and pH Stability of Betacyanin Pigment of Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum) in Taiwan and Their Relation to Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

The betacyanin pattern of Djulis (Chenopodium fromosanum), a native cereal plant in Taiwan, was reported for the first time. The determination of characteristics of the pigment, including pH and thermal stability and their relation to antioxidant activities, indicated that betacyanin of Djulis exhibited the maximum absorbance at 530 nm and their thermal stability was dependent on the pH. Antioxidant capacities as well as red color of that pigment were significantly positively related with A(530). Therefore, A(530) can be used as a simple index of the antioxidant capacity of that pigment. Four peaks including betanin (47.8%), isobetanin (30.0%) with m/z 551.0, and armaranthin (13.6%), isoamaranthinee (8.6%) with m/z 727.0 were purified from the pigment extract by HPLC and identified through LC/MS. Among them, betanin and isobetanin totally accounted for more than 70% of FRAP reducing power or DPPH scavenging capacity and were a major source of the antioxidant capacities. Our findings of this pigment confirmed that Djulis can be used as a novel source of betanin antioxidants and may provide a basis for its sustainable utilization in the food industry.

Plant betalains: Chemistry and biochemistry

“…Biotechnological production of betalains through in vitro systems could deliver the market demand satisfactorily, however mass propagation of plants could be also seriously considered because (1) some plants are easy to maintain and grow on dry/arid land, (2) some fruits such as cactus fruits could be used as source of important phytochemicals after pigment extraction, and (3) the plant parts could also be utilised effectively as animal feed. Among the recently reported new sources of betalains, Suaeda salsa , Ullucus tuberosus (Svenson et al, 2008), Basella alba (Lin et al, 2010), Chenopodium formosanum (Tsai et al, 2010), R. humilis (Khan et al, 2012), Talinum triangulare (Swarna et al, 2013), appear to be promising mainly due to the other beneficial phytochemicals reported in them. Plants such as common and feathered cockscomb (Amaranthus sp.…”

Djulis (Chenopodiun formosaneum) and its bioactive compounds protect against oxidative stress in human HepG2 cells

“…Djulis (Chenopodiun formosaneum), which are called "Hung Li" because of their bright red grain colour, are traditionally used as one of the ingredients of local wine and a native cereal by aboriginal people in Taiwan. Betanin, isobetanin, amaranthin and isoamaranthine were purified from the pigment extracts of Djulis (Tsai, Sheu, Wu, & Sun, 2010). Betanin and isobetanin, which are glycosidic red pigments with a high value as food additives, showed antioxidant activity, as determined by a ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity models.…”

“…Betanin at a relatively low concentration is superior to catechin in inhibiting lipid peroxidation of membranes (Kanner, Harel, & Granit, 2001). Therefore, the pigment of Djulis not only has colouring potential but also demonstrates positive physiological benefits, due to its antioxidant activity (Tsai et al, 2010).…”

Rheological Properties of Dough and Quality of Salted Noodles Supplemented with Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) Flour

“…), belonging to the Chenopodium genus, is an annual crop plant traditionally used by the people worldwide. Djulis grains are edible, commonly served as fermented materials in the process of making liquor, and possess highly nutritional and functional components such as essential amino acids, dietary fiber, betanin, daidzein and genistein (Tsai et al, 2010;Lutz et al, 2013). The well-recognized nutritive value allowed this genus plant to be included in the NASA list of candidate crops for life support in outer space (Schlick & Bubenheim, 1996).…”

“…Djulis contains a natural antioxidant betanin and has shown ferric reducing ability of plasma and DPPH scavenging capacity (Tsai et al, 2010). Feeding animals with djulis grain nanoparticles reduced plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol levels (Tsai et al, 2011).…”