*2.6. Betalain Content*

Betalains are composed of red-violet betacyanins and yellow-orange betaxanthins [6]. The distribution of betalain pigment differs not only according to the beetroot parts, but also the extraction method (Figure 4). Generally, OEM extracted the highest betalain content compared to IEM in all parts. On the other hand, beetroot peels, pulps, and juice exhibited the highest betalain content compared to of leaves and stems, regardless of the used solvent. Methanol (II) OEM extracted the highest betalain content from peel (0.81 mg/g) compared to extracted by methanol (I) IEM (0.39 mg/g) (Figure 4). While ethanol (II) extracted the highest amount of betalain from pulp (0.81 mg/g), leaves (0.48 mg/g), and juice (0.79 mg/g) compared to 0.40, 0.18, and 0.40 mg/g obtained by ethanol (I) from pomace, leaves, and juice, respectively. The obtained betalain from beetroot peel, pulp, and juice was higher than 274.4 mg/kg detected in ethanolic extract (50%) of beetroot puree treated at 120 ◦C for 60 min [30]. Methanol (II) extracted 0.5 mg of betacyanin from peel and pulp, while 0.31 and 0.29 mg/g of betacyanin were detected in peel and pulp, respectively. The obtained result of betacyanin and betaxanthin was higher than 37.22 mg/100 g of betanin and 0.71 mg/100 g of vulgaxanthin I detected by Vulic et al. [20] in fresh beetroot pomace ethanolic extract. However, the obtained betalain from peel and pulp (0.81 mg/g) agreed with the betalain content of Redval and Forono varieties from Australia 853 and 826 mg/L, respectively [31]. On the other hand, Wruss et al. [31] detected another betalain concentrations ranged from 767 to 1309 mg/L in the different Austrian beetroot varieties. The findings in the current invistigation showed that the different parts of Egyptian beetroots are rich betalain sources particularly peels, pomace and juice. At the same time methanol is the best solvent for the extraction of betalain from different parts of beetroots.

**Figure 3.** Total flavonoids of beetroot extract (mg catechin/g) based on the dry weight; (I): IEM; (II): OEM at −20 ◦C.
