Abstract. When drying red beetroot the main problem is high energy consumption and the destruction of the natural pigment – betanine, which gives this vegetable antioxidant properties.  The article presents a new method of preparing plant raw materials for drying in order to preserve betanine – blending. Microstructural studies and IR-spectra studies confirm the influence of organic acids of vegetable raw materials (lemon, rhubarb, tomato), which were used in blending, on the cell membrane of red beetroot, which as a result becomes semi-permeable for the release of moisture during dehydration and reduces the duration of the process during drying. In addition, organic acids of vegetable raw materials partially stabilize betanine. The IR spectra obtained as a result of experimental studies made it possible to identify the fluctuations of the main groups of the main components of plant tissues (water, fibers, hemicellulose, sugars, proteins, acids) and to monitor more subtle chemical changes in red beetroot tissues under the influence of lemon blending.