Optimization of betacyanins from agricultural by‐products using pressurized hot water extraction for antioxidant and in vitro oleic acid‐induced steatohepatitis inhibitory activity

Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) is proposed to recover betacyanins from agricultural by‐products (pitaya fruits peels (PFP), red beet stalks (RBS), and cactus pear peels (CPP)). The extraction yield of betacyanins was optimized by response surface methodology. The optimal PHWE conditions were attained and the actual yields of betacyanins under optimal conditions were well matched with the predicted yields. In addition, betacyanin pigment compositions as well as superoxide anion scavenging activity of individual betacyanins extract (BE) produced in optimal PHWE conditions were characterized by HPLC–ESI/MSn and cyclic voltammetry. Furthermore, the inhibitory activity of three BEs on oleic acid‐induced steatohepatitis in cellular model was comparatively investigated. The results showed that unlike PFP, RBS, and CPP presented excellent efficacy in decreasing intracellular triglyceride and reactive oxygen species, inhibiting the release of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase as well as regulating fatty acid synthase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 mRNAs expression. Practical applications In this study, PHWE, is firstly proposed for the enhancement of the extraction of betacyanins from three agricultural by‐products. Betacyanin‐rich extracts by PHWE method exhibit excellent activities in inhibition of ROS and regulation of lipid metabolism in hepatic cells. It suggests that PHWE has a strong potentiality in keeping bioactivity of BEs, which is significant for the production of betacyanins functional foods. Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) was proposed to recover betacyanins from three agricultural by‐products. Betacyanin pigment compositions in betacyanin extracts were characterized using HPLC–ESI/MS. Antioxidant and in vitro oleic acid‐induced steatohepatitis inhibitory activity of betacyanin extracts were assessed.