Ask A Scientist© Botany Archive

name        A. R.
status      other
age         30s

Question -  I believe that the answer you gave to what pigment makes 
beets red and red cabbage red is incorrect. These plants belong to 
different families and have different pigments. Red Cabbage is colored 
by anthocyanins. The pigment in beets is betalane (sp?). Am I right?
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Both contain anthocyanins, while beets contain betalins.

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Issues/1997/oct/abs1176A.html
http://www.madsci.org/experiments/archive/859332497.Ch.html
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen99/gen99505.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:class.fst.ohio-state.edu/fst621/Lectur 
e s/color.htm+betalins+beets&hl=en
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/mailbag/purplepeas/peasanswer.htm

Anthony R. Brach, Ph.D.
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