The disclosure is directed to compositions, kits, and methods for performing colorimetric analysis. A composition for a colorimetric assay can be prepared that includes an aromatic amine chromogenic substrate and a zwitterionic solubilization reagent that is N,N,N-trimethylglycine (betaine). The zwitterionic solubilization reagent is highly useful as a non-encapsulating solubilization reagent and provided faster kinetics and increased dye content of an aromatic amine chromogenic substrate in an enzymatic reaction. In turn, this can result in improvements in detection of an analyte in a sample and also can increase the sample throughput. The aromatic amine chromogenic substrate and N,N,N-trimethylglycine solubilization reagent can be used in assays such as ELISAs in order to provide a more accurate and faster detection of analytes in a biological sample.