TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page-   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification-          –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication-  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgements-        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Table of Contents- –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         v-vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION- —       –         –         –         –         –         1-3

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF BEETROOT- – –         –         4-5

2.1     Harvesting and Handling of Beetroot- –         –         –         –         5-6

2.2     Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of

Beetroot-      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         6-8

2.3     Beetroot Processing and Product Formulation-        –         –         8-9

CHAPTER THREE

3.1     Health Benefit of Beetroot-        –         –         –         –         –         10-12

3.2     Antioxidant Effects and Chemoprevention of Cancer-       –         12-15

3.2.2  Impact on the Gastrointestinal System-         –         –         –         15-17

3.2.3  Effect on the Cardiovascular System and Endurance

Exercise Performance-     –         –         –         –         –         –         17-19

3.2.4  Effect on Iron Metabolism-        –         –         –         –         –         19-20

3.3     Storage and Preservation of Beetroot-  –         –         –         –         20-23

3.4     Signs of Beet Spoilage and Healthiness-        –         –         –         23-26

3.5     High Pressure Carbon Dioxide (HPCD)

Processing a Novel Technology for Preservation-   –         –         26-28

CHAPTER FOUR

 SUMMARY AND CONLUSION

4.1     Summary –   –         —       –         –         –         –         –         –         29

4.2     Conclusion- –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         29

References

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) is crop belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family having, bright crimson colour. It is famous for its juice value and medicinal properties; and known by several common names like beet, chard, spinach beet. sea beet. garden beet, white beet and Chukander (in Hindi). Beetroot gives the best value from June to November, and for storing, the beetroot leaves should be cut 50 mm above the root. They will keep for 4-5 days when refrigerated in the vegetable crisper. Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ is one of the best varieties which produce large round shaped tender roots of deep red colour and fresh sweet flavour. Beetroot ‘Burpees Golden’ is globe shaped and golden orange in color. It is biennials if roots are grown for seed. It was not cultivated until the 3rd century and not developed until the 19th century by German and French breeders. Beetroot is the name used by the British and some other English speaking countries including Australia and the New Zealand for the vegetable that Americans in the USA call beets a type of food (Yashwant, 2015).

Beetroots main benefits are that it contains no fat, very few calories and is a great source of fiber. The best quality and root color are obtained when the air temperature ranges between 10 and 18 ºC. Abundant rainfall, nitrogen fertilizer and high temperatures provide for rapid development which leads to white rings in the interior of the beetroot. The minimum soil temperature for beet germination is 5 ºC, with an optimum range of 10 to 30 ºC, an optimum temperature of 30 ºC and a maximum temperature of 35 ºC. Beets require a cold period of 2 weeks at 4 to 10 ºC or longer to initiate flowers. Beets will tolerate frosts and mild freezes (Yashwant, 2015).

Beets are used for bunched greens, bunched roots, and beetroots and by processors for many products. Beetroots for processing and fresh markets are harvested mainly in September and October. A yield of 20,000 kg per hectare is possible (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1983). The roots and greens therefore are great for women in general and for those planning pregnancy.

Beetroot is a good tonic food for health. The main markets for beet greens and bunched beets are roadside, farmers markets and deliveries to wholesalers. The market for beetroot is not a large market but it is significant. With storage the marketing season may be extended for roots. Beta vulgaris var. rubra revealed significant tumor inhibitory effects in skin and lung cancer (Kapadia et al., 1996). These findings suggest that beetroot ingestion can be a useful means to prevent development and progression of cancer. But extracts of beetroot also showed some antimicrobial activity on Staphylococcus aureus and on Escherichia coli and also antiviral effect was observed (Rauha et al., 2000).