Abstract
Bioactive compounds of different Campania native sweet pepper varieties were evaluated. Polyphenols ranged between 1.37 mmol g−1 and 3.42 mmol g−1, β-carotene was abundant in the red variety “Cazzone” (7.05 μg g−1). Yellow and red varieties showed a content of ascorbic acid not inferior to 0.82 mg g−1, while in some green varieties the presence of ascorbic acid was almost inconsistent. Interrelationships between the parameters analyzed and the varieties showed that ascorbic acid could represent the factor mostly influencing the antioxidant activity. Polyphenol profile was different among the varieties, with a general prevalence of acidic phenols in yellow varieties and of flavonoids in red varieties. Principal Component Analysis, applied to ascorbic acid, total polyphenols and β-carotene, revealed that two of the green varieties (“Friariello napoletano” and “Friariello Sigaretta”) were well clustered and that the yellow variety “Corno di capra” showed similarity with the green varieties, in particular with “Friariello Nocerese”. This was confirmed by the interrelationships applied to polyphenol composition, which let us to light on a clustering of several red and yellow varieties, and that mainly the yellow ”Corno di capra” was closer to the green varieties of “Friariello”.
Highlights
Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), belonging to the Solanaceae family, is one of five cultivated species of the genus Capsicum, including sweet and hot peppers
The present study focused on the following objectives: (a) to analyze the contents of bioactive compounds of native pepper varieties from the Campania region, Southern Italy, including β-carotene, total phenolics, phenolic profiles, ascorbic acid; (b) to determine their in vitro antioxidant activities through the DPPH radical-scavenging activity; (c) to correlate the antioxidant activity of the varieties to total phenolics, ascorbic acid and carotenoids, with the aim of identifying the main factors influencing the antioxidant properties of the product
Breeding for high-value vegetables is an increasingly preferred ambition and the enhancement of crop bioactive compounds might be strategic to encounter the actual ideas of the market and consumers
Summary
Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), belonging to the Solanaceae family, is one of five cultivated species of the genus Capsicum, including sweet and hot peppers. Due to the broad biochemical and nutritional variations existing among the different varieties within each plant species, the identification of the best genotypes assumes a particular importance for both breeders and consumers, which thereby can select and consume products with high nutritional quality, respectively Keeping this in view, the present study focused on the following objectives: (a) to analyze the contents of bioactive compounds of native pepper varieties from the Campania region, Southern Italy, including β-carotene, total phenolics, phenolic profiles, ascorbic acid; (b) to determine their in vitro antioxidant activities through the DPPH radical-scavenging activity; (c) to correlate the antioxidant activity of the varieties to total phenolics, ascorbic acid and carotenoids, with the aim of identifying the main factors influencing the antioxidant properties of the product. Interrelationships between the parameters analyzed and the different varieties were investigated by principal component analysis (PCA)
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