Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria

Abstract The aim of the paper was to determine the influence of the kind of acid, acidity of beverages and additive of carbon dioxide on the stability of natural β-carotene which the beverages were coloured. The beverages were made of flavour emulsions, while β-carotene was extracted from carrot by means of the rapeseed oil and/or essential oil. The stability of beverages colour was determined on the basis of β-carotene concentration disintegration during 7 days storage including the half-life decomposition time and on the basis of 12 weeks storage test. The stability of beverages colour appeared to depend on the choice of the kind of pigment preparation, acid and on the beverage pH. With decreas-ing the pH of beverages the stability of β-carotene increased. The stability was higher in beverages with the pH adjusted to 3.5 by means of ascorbic acid than in those with the same pH but containing citric acid. The beverages charged with carbon dioxide were char-acterised by a more stable colour than those not charged.