The beetroot is typically on the table in winter in form of pickles or juice, but for its nutritional values it would deserve more common consumption. Its curative effect in great part is due to the several vitamins, minerals, and compounds with antioxidant activity. But the division of biological active compounds is very different in the parts of the root. Based on our results, we could compare the differences between the morphology and some inner contents (soluble solid content, colour, betacyanin, betaxanthin, and polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity, and some fl avonoids) of two beetroot cultivars. The results of the morphological investigations showed that the 'Cylindre' cultivar had more favourable crop parameters than the 'Alto F1' cultivar. In the 'Cylindre' cultivar the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity were signifi cantly higher than in the 'Alto F1' cultivar. By determination of the betanin contents of the investigated beetroots, our results showed both betacyanin and betaxanthin contents were higher in the 'Cylindre' cultivar. The chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, the cumaric acid have been identifi ed based on the peaks of HPLC in the studied beetroot cultivars.Keywords: beetroot, antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content, betacyanin, betaxanthin, fl avonoidsThe beetroot is native to the Mediterranean area and ancestor of the wild form of Beta vulgaris L. var. maritime. The Greeks and Romans knew and cultivated and consumed the beetroot in the 2 nd -3 nd centuries. It became known in Hungary in the 17 th . century. The beetroot is one of the ten most powerful vegetables regarding antioxidant capacity. The polyphenol content for the total dry matter is 50-60 mol g -1 (VINSON et al., 1998;KAHKONEN et al., 1999).Its curative effect in great part is due to the numerous vitamins (C-, B vitamins, folic acid and beta carotenes among others) and high mineral content (iron, copper, magnesium, and calcium). BERRADA and co-workers (2007) have determined the K, Cl, P, Mg, and Na contents in natural red beet by 14 MeV neutron activation analysis.KUJALA and his colleagues determined that the total phenol content of beetroot is decreasing towards the inside of the beet body. Fifty percent of the total phenol content is in the peel, 37% is in the crown, and 13% is in the body. Betalain content of the crown is 32% and of the root is 14% (KUJALA et al., 2000). The valuable colour contents of the beetroot are nitrogen-containing, water-soluble pigments, these are the betalains. These can be divided into two main groups; the red betacyanins and the yellow betaxanthins. The major betacyanin pigment in the beetroot is betanin, which is a betanidin-5-O-β-glucoside. The betanidin is the aglycolic form of the betanin. The major betaxanthin is the vulgaxanthin in the red beet (KUGLER et al., 2007). The beetroot also contains anthocyanins, which are responsible for the * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: +36-1-482-6035, fax: +36-1-482-6327, e-mail: dora.szekely@uni-corvinus.hu SZÉKELY et al.: D...

The aim of this work was to study the influence of atmospheric, vacuum and microwave vacuum drying methods on the quality of dried beetroots. Three different red beetroot species ('Alto F1', 'Cylindra', 'Detroit') were chosen in this study. The microwave vacuum method reduced the total time of drying and decreased the shrinkage compared to the other drying methods. The quality of the dehydrated material was described by its color change, antioxidant capacity, total polyphenol, betacyanin, betaxanthin and each phenolic acids content. The attempts were made to suggest the microwave vacuum method for red beetroot samples as a gentle drying technology to reach a special texture that is favoured by costumers. During the experiments relevant differences could be observed between the investigated beetroot species on the effect of different drying methods. According to the examined parameters the 'Cylindra' species proved the most appropriate beetroot variety for microwave vacuum drying. Based on the results, the combined methods with hot-air at 60 °C followed by microwave vacuum finish drying was the most suitable assay to preserve the investigated parameters in the highest amount.

Abstract. In compliance with consumer expectations, careful processing and preservation are increasingly used with fruits and vegetables. The aim is that during these treatments the valuable nutritional characteristics of the raw materials change as little as possible. Drying has been used for the preservation of raw materials for a long time, which can distinguish two different groups based upon pressure. These are the atmospheric and the more careful vacuum drying.During the research, Alto F1 beetroots were being dried in vacuum and under atmospheric pressure at different temperatures. Vacuum drying took place at 40, 50, and 60• C, while atmospheric drying at 60, 70, and 80• C. All drying processes lasted 150 minutes. During drying, changes of moisture content and water activity were monitored. After drying, colour measurement was realized and the inner parameters were investigated, such as polyphenol, betalain, and antioxidant capacity. These measured parameters were compared in the case of atmospheric and vacuum drying.

Due to the increasing popularity of today’s health-conscious culture, beetroot plays an increasingly important role in a healthy, varied diet. While it contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, P, as well as high levels of vitamin C, several studies have proven its role in the prevention of many cancers. The aim of this study was to compare morphological properties, dry matter, and vitamin C and minerals contents in the different parts (peel, end, middle and top part of root) of the three investigated beetroot cultivars grown in treated and untreated soil. Fertilizer was added to the treated soil before sowing of the beet seeds, while untreated soil was not treated. The vitamin C contents were measured using HPLC method, while determination of element contents was determined with IPC-OES. The study showed that the beetroots grow in the treated soil had improved morphological properties, but a significant difference was not found. For Vitamin C and element contents (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Zn), it was observed a high degree of diversity in the different beetroot parts and between the cultivation years. The aim of the study was to investigate the distribution of the examined parameters within the beetroot body in different beetroot cultivars observing the differences produced by the addition of fertilizer. Some elements were concentrated in the peel and top part such as Ca, Mn and Mg. The peel part of the beetroots contained relevantly higher Fe content than the top, middle and end part. Based on these results, significant differences were observed among the investigated beetroot cultivars regards of the body weight.   ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 3, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********

Sea Buckthorn (SB) juice is rich in biologically active compounds. It has considerable health benefits; thus, it can serve as functional food ingredient. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the total content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity (FRAP), soluble solid content, pH value, β-carotene content and colour parameters (L*, a*, b*) in berry juice of cultivar 'Leikora' Sea Buckthorn (SB) (Hippophae rhamnoides L.). The treatment was made as control sample of Sea Buckthorn juice (C), and Sea Buckthorn juice with 0.5 % (P0.5); 1 % (P1); 2 % (P2) dried pomace of Sea Buckthorn. The samples were stored at room temperature for physicochemical analysis at interval of 2 months for a total period of 14 months.According to our results, the β-carotene (C to P2 was 3.71, 4.82, 5.49 and 6.52 mg 100mL−1) as well as the antioxidant capacity of the samples increased with the growth of the pomace content. During storage, degradation occurred in the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, but the β-carotene content increased. The increase of the β-carotene content was 94.6 % (C) and 32.7 % (P0.5). The smaller reduction in antioxidant compounds was the higher the sample of pomace content is. The FRAP and total polyphenol values measured during storage confirm that the pomace has antioxidant effect. There is a close correlation between the two parameters, including a positive correlation (r = 0.8614), which indicates that a significant part of the antioxidant capacity of buckthorn is due to the presence of different polyphenols.