No abstract

This work was conducted to investigate changes in the bioactive nutrient content of hot (pungent) paprika as a function of ripening in four of the most important varieties cultivated in Hungary. For the quantitative determination, recent liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods were applied. Forty carotenoids were separated, with b-carotene and lutein of interest from the biological point of view. The major component of vitamin E was a-tocopherol. Capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin were the dominant pungency principles. As for vitamin C components, only ascorbic acid could be detected and determined. The results indicated that all the examined compounds were at low level in the mature green fruits, and the onset of climacteric ripening caused their content to grow. In accord with the advance in ripening, carotenoids were being formed even at the overripening stage, while tocopherols, capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid reached their maximum level at the colour break or red stage and then declined. The highest values with regard to carotenoids were estimated in SZ-178 and F0-3 cultivars. The best retention of ascorbic acid was found in SZ-178, which contained 4.86 mg g À1 dry matter in the dry pods. On the other hand, retention of a-tocopherol during ripening and natural drying was found to depend on variety. The highest value for vitamin E was recorded in SZ-178 followed by K-V 2 , which contained the highest level of a-tocopherol at the red stage of ripening.

Ground paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) was extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) and subcritical propane at different conditions of pressure and temperature to estimate the yield and variation in carotenoid, tocopherol, and capsaicinoid contents and composition. The yield of paprika extract was found to be affected by the extraction conditions with SC-CO(2) but fairly constant at different conditions with subcritical propane. The maximum yields of oleoresin were 7.9 and 8.1% of ground paprika by SC-CO(2) and subcritical propane, respectively. The quantitative distribution of carotenoids, tocopherols, and capsaicinoids between paprika extract and powder was influenced by extraction conditions. SC-CO(2) was inefficient in the extraction of diesters of xanthophylls even at 400 bar and 55 degrees C, whereas tocopherols and capsaicinoids were easy to extract at these conditions. Under mild conditions subcritical propane was superior to SC-CO(2) in the extraction of carotenoids and tocopherols but less efficient in the extraction of capsaicinoids.

A study is conducted to optimize the supercritical fluid extraction of spice paprika oil (oleoresin) using supercritical (SF) CO 2 and subcritical propane as the solvents. The main focus is on carotenoid and tocopherol composition as the quality attributes of technological and nutritional interest. The maximum oil yield is 7.2 and 8.8 g per 100 g paprika with SF-CO 2 and subcritical propane, respectively. For the implementation of complete extraction at the given conditions, the ratio of solvent to solid is found to be 6.0 and 1.0 using SF-CO 2 and propane, respectively. The carotenoids, particularly fatty acid esters of red xanthophylls, are hardly solubilized by SF-CO 2 , whereas with subcritical propane, 80-94% of such components could be mildly extracted. Tocopherols were easy to extract using either fluid, with propane being the most efficient solvent. The result of the impact of extraction conditions on the major carotenoids (such as capsanthin monoester, β-carotene, capsorubin diesters, and capsanthin diesters, as well as α-, βand γ-tocopherol) are tabulated with special focus on the degree of loss during extraction by the two solvents.