Jalapeno rayado peppers (Capsicum annuum) are usually subjected to a traditional smoke-dehydration process using Quercus sp. This treatment provides peppers with their characteristic functional attributes. To differentiate the production of antioxidant metabolites during the dehydrationsmoking process, this process was compared with convective dehydration, both at 60°C. A higher antioxidant activity in smoke-dried pepper was observed due to the increase in concentration of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and Maillard products in the last hours of the process and was related to the presence of radicals with m/z (-) values: 585.32, 292.2, 326.18, 653.28, 240.11 and 210.14, generated during both dehydration processes. The change in colour was mainly due to the increase of Maillard compounds. Convective dehydration favoured the extraction of capsaicinoids, whereas no significant change was observed in smoke-dehydration, and carotenoid degradation was 40% with either process. A similar final moisture content was achieved in both processes.Efecto del proceso de deshidratación artesanal del chile jalapeño rayado Capsicum annuum, en los metabolitos secundarios con actividad antioxidante RESUMEN El chile jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) suele ser sometido a un proceso de deshidratación-ahumado tradicional empleando leña de Quercus sp. Este tratamiento le confiere atributos funcionales característicos. Para diferenciar la producción de metabolitos antioxidantes durante el proceso de deshidratación-ahumado, este proceso se comparó con deshidratación convectiva, ambos a 60°C. Una mayor actividad antioxidante en chile deshidratado-ahumado se observó debida al incremento en la concentración de compuestos fenólicos, flavonoides y productos de Maillard en las últimas horas del proceso, y se relacionó con la presencia de radicales con valores m/z (-): 585.32, 292.2, 326.18, 653.28, 240.11 y 210.14, generados en ambos procesos de deshidratación. El cambio de color se debió principalmente al aumento de compuestos de Maillard. La deshidratación convectiva favoreció la extracción de capsaicinoides, mientras que en el deshidratado-ahumado no se observó un cambio significativo, y con ambos la degradación de carotenoides fue de 40%. En ambos procesos se alcanzó un contenido de humedad final similar. ARTICLE HISTORY

Several plant extracts exhibit anti-virulence properties due to the interruption of bacterial quorum sensing (QS). However, studies on their effects at the preclinical level are scarce. Here, we used a murine model of abscess/necrosis induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa to evaluate the anti-pathogenic efficacy of 24 plant extracts at a sub-inhibitory concentration. We analyzed their ability to inhibit QS-regulated virulence factors such as swarming, pyocyanin production, and secretion of the ExoU toxin via the type III secretion system (T3SS). Five of the seven extracts with the best anti-pathogenic activity reduced ExoU secretion, and the extracts of Diphysa americana and Hibiscus sabdariffa were identified as the most active. Therefore, the abscess/necrosis model allows identification of plant extracts that have the capacity to reduce pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, we evaluated the activity of the plant extracts on Chromobacterium violaceum. T3SS (ΔescU) and QS (ΔcviI) mutant strains were assessed in both the abscess/necrosis and sepsis models. Only the ΔescU strain had lower pathogenicity in the animal models, although no activity of plant extracts was observed. These results demonstrate differences between the anti-virulence activity recorded in vitro and pathogenicity in vivo and between the roles of QS and T3S systems as virulence determinants.