Beetroot Red Color

The betalain pigment of red beet root, dominated by betanin, gives beetroot red color a water-soluble red that runs from bright red to bluish red depending on pH and concentration. It is dried onto a maltodextrin carrier to give a free-flowing powder that dissolves in water.

The powder is a natural red for foods that stay cool and weakly acidic or neutral. It is milled to 80 mesh with moisture limited to ≤8.0%. No color-strength value is stated because beetroot red is shaded to the application and not sold on a strength scale.

SKU: BOT-NCL-0002 Category: Natural Colors Tags: Bakery & Snacks, Beverage Coloring, Drink Powders & Sticks, Dry Blends & Premixes, Food Coloring, Natural Colors

Betanin Source, Shade & Composition

Beetroot red color comes from the root of the red beet, Beta vulgaris L., the same plant as table beet and sugar beet. The pigment of the red root is a group of betalains, a family of nitrogen-containing pigments that is unrelated to anthocyanins and found in beets, amaranth and a few other plants. Red-violet betacyanins, mainly betanin, give the color, and yellow betaxanthins, such as vulgaxanin, are minor companions.

The shade depends on conditions. In a weakly acidic to neutral medium betanin is a clean, bluish red. Under strongly acidic conditions the hue moves toward violet, and in alkaline conditions the molecule breaks down and the color turns yellow-brown, so pH is the first thing a formulator checks. Concentration also changes the impression, because a dilute solution looks pink and a concentrated one looks deep magenta.

The powder consists of the pigment together with a carrier. Beetroot red is a water-soluble color, so the carrier is maltodextrin, a carbohydrate that dries the juice extract into a stable powder and protects the pigment from air. The pigment is accompanied by the natural sugars, organic acids, salts and earthy-smelling compounds of the beet that survive purification. The carrier gives the powder its bulk and flow.

Red beet is grown as a root crop, and the pigment is taken from the juice or from an aqueous extract of the root. Pigment content varies with variety and growing conditions, and the extract also carries sugars, salts and nitrate, which processing reduces but does not remove entirely. Beetroot red color therefore keeps a trace of the vegetable’s sweetness and earthy aroma.

Beetroot Red Color Value & Grades

Beetroot red does not carry a color-strength number on this product, and none is stated here. The pigment is usually sold on a basis of betanin content or of color intensity measured at about 535 nm. The figure depends on the extraction method and the carrier ratio, so it is a processor-specific measure and not a universal scale.

For a buyer, the practical way to choose a strength is by trial. A small test in the real base, at the real pH and process temperature, shows how deep the red is and how fast it fades, and the dose is then set from that result. Because the color is shaded, the amount needed for a given red varies with the formula. A reference sample of the finished product is a better target than a number.

Because strength is not published as a number, color matching is normally done against a reference. A formulator can keep a standard sample and a retained sample of the finished product, then compare each new lot against them under the same light, which controls shade drift better than a strength figure would.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Source	Red beet (Beta vulgaris) root
Common Name	Beetroot red (betanin color)
Pigment	Betanin (betacyanin) with minor betaxanthins
Pigment Family	Betalains
Shade	Red to bluish red
Carrier / Stabilizer	Maltodextrin
Product Form	Powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
Quality Parameters
Moisture	≤8.0% (LOD)
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Beetroot Red Color Performance by Application

Application	Performance	pH Window	Watch Point
Yogurt and ice cream	Good	Weakly acidic to neutral	Add after pasteurization
Dry mixes and sugar coatings	Good	Not pH-dependent while dry	Keep dry and out of light
Fruit drinks	Limited	Best in mildly acidic range	Fades with light and heat
Baked goods	Not Recommended	Not applicable	Heat destroys betanin
Pasteurized sauces	Limited	Mildly acidic to neutral	Oxygen and heat reduce color

Beetroot red is a pigment that dislikes heat, light and oxygen, and it is the combination that sets the limit. Short, cool processes such as cold-set desserts, dairy products and dry blends keep the red intact, while baking, retorting or long hot holding bleach it toward brown within minutes. In drinks, the pigment survives for a limited time and fades over shelf life in clear bottles.

Water activity matters, because beetroot betanin is far more stable in dry or low-moisture systems than in a watery one. Maltodextrin helps by keeping the powder dry, and a coating or panned sugar shell holds the color well. Metal ions, particularly iron and copper, speed breakdown, so demineralized water and chelating ingredients help in sensitive formulas.

Dairy is the strongest fit. Yogurt, cream cheese and ice cream are cold or chilled, sit in the pH window betanin prefers and are protected from light by opaque cups, so beetroot red color holds its shade for the shelf life. Confectionery panning and dry seasonings form the second group, because low water activity slows decay and the pigment is applied after the heat step.

Formulation Notes for Beetroot Red

Add beetroot red late and cold. Dissolving the powder in a little cool water before adding it to the batch gives an even color, and adding it after the heat step protects the pigment from the hottest stage of the process. For dry mixes, pre-blending with sugar or starch disperses the powder and avoids dark specks.

pH should be set before beetroot red is added. A weakly acidic to neutral base gives the cleanest red, a lower pH shifts the shade toward violet. An alkaline base turns the color brown, so buffers and leavening acids need to be checked against the target. Oxygen is the second driver of loss, and de-aerating liquids or filling with minimal headspace slows fading.

Ascorbic acid and some antioxidants can slow oxidative loss in juices, although the effect depends on conditions and should be trialed. Blending with small amounts of other natural colors can move the hue, for example toward orange with a yellow. However, the blend then follows the less stable color’s behavior and the combined stability must be tested.

Finished beetroot red products should be packed in light-protective packaging with low oxygen transmission. Once opened, the powder takes up moisture and the red dulls with time, so containers are resealed and kept cool, dark and dry. The earthy beet note is faint at normal color doses but can be noticed in delicately flavored dairy products.

Trial design should follow the process. A bench test with the real base, the real pH and the real heat step shows quickly whether beetroot red color holds. Samples are stored in light and in the dark and compared after a week and a month. Any fading is traced to its cause, whether light, oxygen, metal or heat, before packaging or process changes are made.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.