Assessment of Beetroot powder as nutritional, antioxidant, and sensory evaluation in candies

The present study investigated dehydrated beetroot powder's nutritional, antioxidant, and physicochemical potential in developing nutritionally enriched supplemented hard candies. The data on the nutritional composition of beetroot powder (Devadiga & Ahipa) elucidated significantly (Lim) higher magnitudes of proteins (13 %), ash (10 %), dietary fiber (20 %), K (27 mg.100 g(-)(1)) and Na (6.6 mg.100 g(-)(1)). Likewise, the nutritional profile of the supplemented hard candies exhibited significant (p < 0.05) improvement in proteins from 0.3 to 1.3 g/100 g (441 %up arrow), ash 0.3-1.3 g.100 g(-)(1) (357 %up arrow), fiber 0.4-2.1 g.100 g(-)(1) (381 %up arrow), K 0.6-2.8 mg.100 g<^>-1 (405 %up arrow), Na 0.2-0.7 mg.100 g<^>-1 (331 %up arrow), Mg 0.05-0.26 mg.100 g(-)(1) (420 %up arrow) and Ca 0.06-0.24 mg.100 g(-)(1) (300 %up arrow) on increasing the beetroot powder (BRP) supplementation from 2 to 10 %. The physicochemical properties of candies explained appreciable increments in vitamin C and betalain contents from 0.2 to 0.8 and 48-245 mg.100 g(-)(1), respectively. Results for the antioxidant activities exhibited a similar increase in total phenolics (i.e., 10.2-41.3 mg GAE.100 g(-)(1)), total flavonoids (5.7-27.5 mg QE.100 g(-)(1)), 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-Picryl-Hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activities (11.4-28.4 %) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) contents (24.2-127.2 mu mol.100 g(-)(1)). The highest zone of inhibition (ZOI) was shown against E. coli (i.e., 13.4-23 mm), L. monocytogenes (11.03-19.2 mm), and S. aureus (12.1-20.3 mm) at a maximum concentration of BRP extracts, i.e., 10 mg mL(-)(1). The highest sensorial acceptability of the finished product was at a 6 % supplementation level, which could be validated as a viable approach to use BRP as an ingredient of choice in improving the micronutrient inadequacies among the vulnerable population groups and direct intake of dietary fibers and antioxidant-rich BRP supplemented candies are considered to be viable in preventing the associated health challenges like cancer and dysentery.