Antioxidant and apha-amylase inhibition activities of prickly pears (Opuntia ficus indica L.) betalains extracts and application in yoghurt as natural colorants

Authors:
Siham Ydjedd, Makhlouf Chaalal, Siham Bahri, Souha Mokadem, Hadjer Radji

Volume 27, Issue 2;
Pages: 140-150; 2021
ISSN: 2069-0053 (print) (former ISSN: 1453-1399), Agroprint;
ISSN (online): 2068-9551

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant and α-amylase inhibition activities of four betalain extracts of red and yellow prickly pear varieties and essay incorporate in yoghurt as a natural colorant. A highest betacyanins and indicaxanthins contents were obtained with the aqueous extracts of red and yellow varieties. The methanolic extract of red variety showed a strong ferric reducing power, likewise, the aqueous extract of yellow variety revealed an important free radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, a highest α-amylase inhibition activity was obtained with the aqueous and methanolic extracts of the yellow and red varieties, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between the betalains contents and the antioxidant, and the α-amylase inhibition activities of two varieties extracts. The free radical scavenging activity of enriched natural yoghurt was decreased significantly after 28 days of storage. However, a slight changes in physicochemical analysis of yoghurt enriched compared with control samples. The betalain enriched yoghurt can substitute a synthetic (industrial) colorants.