Cultivars Differences in Keeping Quality and Bioactive Constituents

Elazar Fallik,Natasa Mirecki,Zoran S Ilic

doi:10.24297/jbt.v4i1.1634

Abstract

The aims of this research were to evaluate the keeping quality (water loss, firmness, decay incidence) and bioactive constituents (vitamin C, antioxidant activity) of three commercial bell pepper cultivars (Selika-red, Dynamo-yellow and Sympathy-orange color) held for 21 days (d) storage at 7 oC and market simulation (3 d at 20 oC). Cultivars type significantly influenced fruit quality in bell pepper after prolonged storage. The low skin wax content (0.6 ngâˆ™cm-2)Â and thin pericarp tissue (6.5 mm) in â€˜Sympathyâ€™ appeared to have contributed greatly to the high weight loss (5.2%), resulting in very soft fruits (4 mm), high decay incidence (20%) and lowest value in general appearance (2.5) among to the three cultivars. After 21 d storage at 7 oC plus 3 d at 20 oC content of ascorbic acid showed a insignificant increase in all cultivars. Hydrophilic antioxidant activity (HAA) remains practically unchanged after 3 weeks at 7 oC (between 2 and 5%) from the initial value. Total antioxidant activity (TAA) increases only in red pepper 'Selika' (6.07 Âµmol TE/g fr.wt.) and this increase is mainly because of changes in the lipophilic antioxidant activity (LAA - from 0.84 in harvest time increased to 2.31 Âµmol TE/g fr.wt. after storage).Â

Highlights

Sweet bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important vegetable crop worldwide and can be consumed in many colors green, red, yellow, orange, or brown when ripe
The aims of this research were to evaluate the keeping quality and antioxidans activity of different color bell pepper cultivars held for three weeks storage and shelf life period
No change in TSS was found after prolonged storage in all bell peppers cultivar (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Sweet bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important vegetable crop worldwide and can be consumed in many colors green (unripe), red, yellow, orange, or brown when ripe. The storage life of pepper fruit is limited by physical decay and rapid senescence [4], water loss [5], and susceptibility to chilling injury [6; 7]. The most effective method of maintaining quality and controlling decay of peppers is by rapid cooling after harvest followed by storage at optimum temperature (7–10 oC) with a high relative humidity 95–98% [11]. Yellow and orange pepper cultivars were found to be more susceptible to physiological and pathological deterioration than the red cultivars after prolonged storage [13] These results are similar to the work of Ilić et al [14] who found that yellow and orange mini pepper are in general more susceptible than red cultivars to physiological degradation, high decay incidence and the lowest value in external appearance (below marketable limit) after storage. Pigments in the red pepper, carotenoids and flavonoids, contribute significantly to its AA, while the green pepper lacks these pigments [1]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion