USE OF BEET POWDER (BETA VULGARIS L.) AS COLORING IN HOMEMADE YOGURT

Abstract

In order to evaluate the use of beetroot as a natural dye in homemade yogurts, a study was done at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, for this purpose beets were purchased on the black market of Kissala, in the Municipality of Huambo, Angola. Subsequently, these were washed in running water, peeled and grated with homemade grater, after grating, they were squeezed into clean cloths to reduce humidity, then they were subjected to direct sun drying for three consecutive days. After drying, they were sprayed in a traditional pestle and sieved in a 1mm diameter sieve to obtain a finer powder, which was packaged and preserved for use in yogurts. Milk of the LOYA brand was used, purchased in the market in one of the stores of the municipality. Prepared three different yogurts, there was a control without addition of beetroot and two of which were applied 10 and 15g of beetroot. Amounts of beetroot were added to each pound of milk along with a previous entrée. After 24 hours, the yogurt was ready and was submitted to the acceptability test in which the preference was for yogurts with beet addition, in second place and with greater emphasis on yogurt with 15g of beetroot. The aerobic mesophile count (30 °C) remained within the established standards and the enterobacteria were close to zero, there was absence of Escherichia coli, Listeria spp; Bacillus cereus; Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. Beets can become a natural dye in homemade yogurt and constitute a functional food.