Evaluation of qualitative changes of apple-beetroot juice during long-term storage at different temperatures

The effect of storage conditions on changes of pH, total soluble solids (°Brix), colour, betalains (betacyanins and betaxanthins), and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was investigated in apple-beetroot juices stored at 2, 7 and 20 °C for 120 days. The results obtained showed that the quality of apple-beetroot juice is significantly influenced by temperature and storage duration. Increasing storage time and temperature induced an apparent rise (P < 0.05) of lightness ( L* ), yellowness ( b* ), hue angle , total colour difference ( ΔE ) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Maximal concentration of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural reached 14.97 ± 0.03 mg/L at 20 °C; however, this concentration is under the allowable maximal level in apple juice (20 mg/L). The increase in total colour difference and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural concentration was associated with a decrease of betacyanins and betaxanthins, confirmed by strong inverse correlations ( r from − 0.7991 to − 0.9813). Degradation of both betacyanins and betaxanthins followed the first-order kinetic model and showed positive correlation with redness ( a* ) and chroma . Higher rate constants ( k ) for betacyanin degradation (k ≈ 0.0064–0.0285 day −1 ) in comparison with the rate constants for betaxanthin degradation (k ≈ 0.0073–0.0471 day −1 ) demonstrate that betacyanins degraded slightly faster. The changes in all monitored characteristics were significantly greater at 20 °C (P < 0.05) than at 7 and 2 °C, except pH and °Brix. Therefore, apple-beetroot juices should be stored at lower temperatures to maintain their acceptable quality.