Optimizaton of extraction of betalain pigments from beta vulgaris peels by microwave pretreatment

The effect of microwave assissted extraction of pigments from beetroot peels was studied. Oven Drying followed by microwave assisted extraction was decided as the experimental procedure to be followed because of better absorbance in the range of 0.2-0.4. A microwave assisted extraction procedure is said to open the vacuolar pores inside beetroot powder.The Box-Behnken method was used as the RSM optimization technique. A quadratic model was suggested for both the solvents used. The optimized conditions for Solvent A were pH 5.20, Microwave Power of 224.61MW and Time 57.06 seconds for a Betanin Concentration of 229.264mg/L. The optimized conditions for Solvent B were found to be pH4.74, Microwave Power 384.25MW, Time 74.91 seconds and Betanin Concentration 472.113mg/L. The order of the extraction process was calculated as 1.42 and the rate constant as 0.00126. FTIR results confirm similar functional groups before and after the treatment. FTIR results confirm the presence of O-H stretch, C-H stretch, H-bonded, C-C stretch, N-H bend.