Ion spray mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry of the fresh juice from Basella rubra fruits revealed the presence of betanidin monoglucoside as the major betacyanin and its 4-coumaroyl and feruloyl derivatives as minor components. Co-chromatography (TLC, HPLC) with betacyanin standards identified the betacyanins as gomphrenin I (15Sbetanidin 6-0-fi-glucoside), gomphrenin II (1SSbetanidin 6-0-[6'-0-(4-coumaroyl)- /I-glucoside]) together with small amounts of the respective R forms (isogomphrenin I and II) and gomphrenin III (15Sbetanidin 6-0-[6'-0-feruloyl-/I-glucoside]).