Balancing nutritional quality and consumer acceptance in boiled beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.): effects of household boiling time on bioactive compounds, color, texture, and sensory attributes

Boiling is a common household method for preparing beetroot, but the boiling duration associated with higher measured bioactive compound concentrations may not correspond to that associated with consumer preference. This study investigated the effects of household-relevant boiling times (0–60 min) on the proximate composition, total phenolic content, DPPH radical-scavenging activity, betalain content, color parameters, peak puncture resistance, and consumer acceptance of beetroot ( Beta vulgaris L.). Boiling time significantly affected the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of beetroot. At 30 min, total phenolic content, DPPH radical-scavenging activity, and betalain content reached 7.61 mg GAE/g FW, 35.68%, and 0.54 mg/g FW, respectively, compared with 2.21 mg GAE/g FW, 13.35%, and 0.21 mg/g FW in raw beetroot. At 60 min, the corresponding values were 5.06 mg GAE/g FW, 34.06%, and 0.25 mg/g FW, indicating non-linear responses to boiling duration rather than a uniform decline after 30 min. Overall liking increased from 1.85 for raw beetroot to 5.08–6.88 among the cooked treatments, although the cooked samples did not differ significantly from one another in overall liking. Redness and chroma were highest at 30 min, although both increased again at 60 min after declining at 45 min. Peak puncture force decreased after reaching its highest value at 15 min, and the 60-min treatment showed the lowest numerical value. All cooked treatments were preferred to the raw sample; the 60-min treatment received the highest numerical overall-liking score, although overall liking did not differ significantly among the cooked treatments. Sweetness, firmness, and juiciness were the sensory attributes most clearly associated with liking. The boiling duration associated with the highest measured chemical and color values differed from that associated with the highest numerical consumer preference. Under the conditions of this study, 30 min produced the highest measured total phenolic and betalain concentrations, redness, and chroma, whereas the 60-min sample received the highest numerical overall-liking score. These findings demonstrate trade-offs among quality attributes and highlight the importance of considering multiple responses when recommending domestic boiling conditions for beetroot.