Freeze Dried Beetroot

Beetroot's deep red-purple colour comes from betalain pigments. These pigments are sensitive to heat and pH change; at high temperature they turn brown. Because freeze-drying works at low temperature the vividness of the colour is largely preserved, making the product a natural alternative to synthetic red colourants.

Beetroot also attracts interest in sports nutrition for its natural nitrate content, and powder is used intensively in this field. The taste profile is characteristically earthy-sweet and is usually balanced with fruit acids in formulations.

Sliced and diced forms are used in salads, ready meals, soups and snack chip applications; powder in natural colouring, sports drinks, food supplements and pasta/dough colouring.

Betalain pigments are more stable in acidic environments; colour loss accelerates in neutral and alkaline systems, so pH control in the recipe is important.