Capsaicinoids, Polyphenols and Antioxidant Activities of Capsicum annuum: Comparative Study of the Effect of Ripening Stage and Cooking Methods

Abstract

Peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are an important crop usually consumed as food or spices. Peppers contain a wide range of phytochemicals, such as capsaicinoids, phenolics, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids. Capsaicinoids impart the characteristic pungent taste. The study analyzed capsaicinoids and other bioactive compounds in different pepper cultivars at both the mature green and red stages. The effect of roasting on their nutritional content was also investigated. In the cultivars tested, the levels of capsaicin ranged from 0 to 3636 µg/g in the mature green stage and from 0 to 4820 µg/g in the red/yellow stage. The concentration of dihydrocapsaicin ranged from 0 to 2148 µg/g in the mature green stage and from 0 to 2162 µg/g in the red/yellow stage. The levels of capsaicinoid compounds in mature green and red /yellow stages were either reduced or increased after roasting depending on the cultivar. The ranges of total phenolic and total flavonoids compounds were 2096 to 7689, and 204 to 962 µg/g, respectively, in the green and red/yellow mature stage pods. Ascorbic acid levels in the peppers ranged from 223 to 1025 mg/ 100 g Dry Weight (DW). Both raw and roasted peppers possessed strong antioxidant activity as determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) reagent (DPPH, 61–87%) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS, 73–159 µg/g) assays. Ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity decreased after roasting in the mature green and red stages, whereas total phenolics and flavonoids increased except in the mature green stage of Sweet Delilah and yellow stage of Canrio.

Antioxidant Profile of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Fruits Containing Diverse Levels of Capsaicinoids

“…From a redox viewpoint, it has been found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism is also affected during fruit ripening, leading to major changes in total soluble reducing equivalents and the antioxidant capacity in fruits [41]. The profile of the major non-enzymatic antioxidants, including ascorbate, glutathione, carotenoids and polyphenols, has been followed during ripening in pepper fruits [4,11,12,[42][43][44][45][46], but less is known on how enzymatic antioxidants evolve with this physiological process. These enzyme systems basically include superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and the ascorbate-glutathione cycle as the primary defense barriers against ROS, and some NADP-dehydrogenases as a secondary system to help the antioxidative enzymatic block.…”

Capsicum annuum(hot pepper): An ancient Latin‐American crop with outstanding bioactive compounds and nutraceutical potential. A review

“…Hamed, Kalita, Bartolo, and Jayanty (2019) reported that the variations in the accumulation of capsaicinoids can be attributed to intrinsic genetic factors of each genotype and to environmental conditions; also, levels of capsaicinoid compounds, especially capsaicin, could change with the maturation stage, or even with water stress during plant cultivation as found before by Mahendran and Bandara (2000). Other group of researchers (Gurung, Techawongstien, Suriharn, & Techawongstien, 2011) worked with 14 chili cultivars with different genotype, pungency, and environment, and concluded that genotype had a major role in the accumulation and content of capsaicinoids.…”

Content of Capsaicinoids and Capsiate in “Filius” Pepper Varieties as Affected by Ripening

“…Additionally, consumers appreciate the valuable health properties that are attributed to this food group. In fact, peppers are known to have also been used as medicinal plants because of their substantial contents of bioactive compounds, which provide health benefits to consumers [ 7 , 8 ]. Capsaicinoids and capsinoids, which are among those bioactive compounds of interest, are also responsible for the pungency of chili peppers, which is one of their most important commercial traits [ 9 , 10 ].…”

“…Therefore, and depending on the attributes that are sought by producers (color, pungency, etc. ), the fruit optimal harvesting moment will vary [ 7 , 27 ].…”