Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Currently, there are some examples of natural colourants with commercial use. However, these colourants are
usually under-exploited, besides being obtained from a reduced number of plant or algal species. Accordingly,
we propose using betalains obtained from an alternative plant species, Gomphrena globosa, which have a powerful
colouring activity besides being strong antioxidants, as a novel ice-cream colourant. For comparison
purposes, other ice-cream formulations were prepared, namely without colourants, added with commercial
betalain or with Beta vulgaris extract. Besides evaluating the colour parameters L*, a* and b*, the nutritional
parameters, individual sugars and fatty acids profiles were also studied. These parameters were evaluated
throughout time, up to a maximum of 60 days of freeze (−22 °C) storage. Betacyanin quantification of each
formulation was also performed to determine its maintenance along storage. In general, ice-creams prepared
with G. globosa were similar (considering nutritional, colour, individual sugars and fatty acids profiles) to those
including B. vulgaris extract, thereby validating the suitability of this alternative plant as a source of food colourants,
particularly as ice-cream colourants. Furthermore, the positive effects induced by the addition of this
natural colourant were maintained throughout storage time, as indicated by the markers distribution in the
linear discriminant analysis.
Description
Keywords
Colour parameters Fatty acids Ice-cream Natural colourants Nutritional composition
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Roriz, Custódio Lobo; Barreira, João C.M.; Morales, Patricia; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. (2018). Gomphrena globosa L. as a novel source of food-grade betacyanins: Incorporation in ice-cream and comparison with beet-root extracts and commercial betalains. LWT. ISSN 0023-6438. 92, p. 101-107