Red Pepper Spice Research Articles

A SYSTEMATIC META-ANALYSIS OF AFLATOXIN B1 PRESENCE IN RED PEPPER

Aflatoxins are one of the pollutants that can be isolated from the dried food products, especially spices. Since red pepper is one of the most consumed spices all over the world, this research aimed to estimate the prevalence and concen-tration of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in different red pepper spices with the help of a systematic review and meta-analysis. Therefore, the articles published between January 2000 and December 6, 2020, were systematically collected from four well-known databases. In this context, 10 articles containing 455 samples in total among 981 articles were included in the meta-analysis according to the determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. According to the analysis results, the AFB1 prevalence of all studies was determined as 50.8%. The lowest and highest AFB1 concentrations were observed in seasoning paprika Korea (0.14 mg/kg) and Turkey (31.13 mg/kg), respectively. The result of this meta-analysis can be used in the evaluation and organization of solution actions to be devel-oped to reduce AFB1 exposure and prevent financial losses through the con-sumption of red pepper spice products.

Changes in volatile compounds, sugars and organic acids of different spices of peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) during storage

Changes in sugars, organic acids and volatile compounds (VC) of red pepper flakes (RPF), traditional (TRI), and industrial (INI) isot peppers were evaluated during one year storage at the room condition. The changes in the flavor components were significantly affected by the production methods and storage time. Glucose content decreased gradually along storage and reduced by about 21.23, 47.22 and 56.65% for TRI, INI and RPF, respectively. However, fructose decreased significantly only in RPF (11.29%). Citric and succinic acids exhibited slight changes, but malic acid showed an increasing trend, especially in RPF (4-fold). Most of the VC in all samples decreased or disappeared after storage. The major quantitative losses in these compounds were found in TRI during the first 3 months as 81.76%. The storage was found to be caused deterioration flavor properties in red pepper spices and revealed the importance of appropriate storage conditions.

CHANGES IN PHENOLIC CONTENT IN GROUND RED PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.) DURING STORAGE

Dynamics of changes in phenolic content in ground red pepper spice (Capsicum annuum L.) was monitored during the period of 10/ 2016–01/2018. Phenolic compounds were determined: gallic acid, catechine, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, rutin, resveratrol, cinnamic acid. In order to carry out a relevant statistical evaluation, individual measurements were interpolated to obtain a weekly time series. The fastest weekly reduction in content occurs for cinnamic acid (0.9%), coumaric acid (0.6%), resveratrol (0.54%), catechine (0.53%), quercetin (0.47%), vanillic acid (0.47%), ferulic acid (0.39%), gallic acid (0.34%), and rutin (0.29%). For the total content of phenolic substances, weekly decrease of 0.4% was statistically significant (at significance level of 0.001). The losses of phenolic substances during storage are possible to be minimized partially by keeping in cold, dry, and dark storage areas, in airtight containers for wholesale and retail packages.

Bacteriological analysis of the red pepper spices marketed as packaged and unpackaged in Istanbul

The red pepper spice, which has been widely used in Turkey, must be examined in terms of possible pathogen content because it can be eaten raw. Therefore, in the current study, a total of 50 red pepper samples (40 unpackaged, 10 packaged) from retail shops in Istanbul were bacteriologically analysed for the presence of Salmonella spp. and bacteria of the Aeromonas genus. At the same time, unsuspicious colonies were tested for the determination of other enteric pathogens. The following results were recorded at the end of the analyses: although 10 % of the samples contained Aeromonas spp., none of the samples were positive for Salmonella spp. It was observed that the unpackaged red pepper samples were contaminated more than the packaged samples. The results obtained from the current study demonstrated that a better control in all aspects of production, processing and usage is required to prevent bacteriological contamination in the red pepper samples.

Monitoring aflatoxin contamination risks in red pepper spice produced in Turkey

Even though Turkey is the third leading producer of fresh pepper, currently it only supplies 3-5% of processed red pepper spice in the international trade market because of high aflatoxin contamination. This study was designed to determine the presence and levels of aflatoxins in red pepper spice collected from three major producer provinces in Southeast (K. Maras, G. Antep, Hatay-Kilis) and one province in Central Turkey (Ankara), This pilot study also included companies that are actively involved in international red pepper spice trade. Nearly, half of the samples showed significant levels of contamination above the European Standard of 5 ng/g for AFB1 and 10 ng/g for total aflatoxins. Over ninety percent of contaminated samples contained AFB1 with levels ranging from 5 to 85.55ng/g. The overall mean level of total aflatoxins was 22.I8 ng/g with the highest level being 144.41ng/g. These results indicate that there is a necessity for establishing stricter and continuous national surveillance schemes for improving safely and quality of red pepper spice in Turkey.

Influence of Red Pepper Spice and Turmeric on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Overweight Females: A Metabolomics Approach

Red pepper spice (RP) and turmeric (TM) are used as flavorings in foods and for medicinal purposes. Utilizing a randomized, doubled-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover design (2-week washout), 4-week supplementation with RP (1 g/d) or TM (2.8 g/d) was tested for influences on inflammation and oxidative stress in 62 overweight/obese (body mass index ≥ 27 kg/m²) females (40-75 years) with systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP ≥ 2 mg/l). Overnight, fasted blood samples were collected pre- and post-supplementation, and analyzed for oxidative stress (F₂-isoprostanes, oxidized low density lipoprotein), inflammation (CRP and seven inflammatory cytokines), and metabolic profiles using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with multivariate partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Pre- to post-supplementation measures of inflammation and oxidative stress for both RP and TM did not differ when compared to placebo (all interaction effects, P > 0.05), and global metabolic difference scores calculated through PLS-DA were non-significant (both spices, Q²Y < 0.40). These data indicate that 4-week supplementation with RP or TM at culinary levels does not alter oxidative stress or inflammation in overweight/obese females with systemic inflammation, or cause a significant shift in the global metabolic profile.

Influence of red pepper spice and turmeric on inflammation, and oxidative stress in overweight females: a metabolomics approach

Red pepper spice (RP, capsaicin) and turmeric (TM, curcumin) are used as flavorings in foods and for medicinal purposes. Utilizing a randomized, doubled‐blinded, placebo‐controlled, crossover design (2‐wk washout), 4‐wks supplementation with RP (1 g/d) or TM (2.8 g/d) was tested for influences on inflammation and oxidative stress in 62 overweight/obese (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) females (40–75 y) with systemic inflammation (CRP ≥ 2.0 mg/L). Overnight, fasted blood samples were collected pre‐ and post‐supplementation, and analyzed for oxidative stress (F2‐isoprostanes, oxidized LDL), inflammation (CRP and 7 inflammatory cytokines), and metabolic profiles using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry with multivariate partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA). Pre‐to‐post supplementation measures of inflammation and oxidative stress for both RP and TM did not differ when compared to placebo (all interaction effects, P&gt;0.05), and global metabolic difference scores calculated through PLS‐DA were non‐significant (both spices, Q2Y &lt; 0.40). These data indicate that 4‐wks supplementation with RP or TM at high culinary levels does not alter oxidative stress or inflammation in overweight/obese females with systemic inflammation, or cause a significant shift in the global metabolic profile (which may be more apparent when measured acutely).Funding, McCormick Science Institute

Partial removal of water from red pepper by immersion in an osmotic solution before drying

Red pepper is dried for use as a spice. When using solar energy to dry it, there are no energy costs but using other energy sources such as fuel or electricity, the production cost of red pepper spice increase. Due to the fact that energy is becoming expensive globally, it can be envisaged that osmotic dehydration gains more popularity as a pre-processing dehydration step. In this study, red pepper samples were cut into square and immersed in the osmotic solutions prepared at three different concentrations, a defined ratio (sample/solution; g/ml) and several temperatures during osmotic dehydration process time. Water activity, color, solid content, water loss and solid gain of samples were determined during osmotic dehydration process taking place in solutions at different concentration, temperature and time. Statistically, all dependent variables have effect on osmotic dehydration. 60 min of the process was found as the critical point for water loss-solid gain relation. The effect of concentration was significant on water activity of sample. Water activities of samples whose initials were greater than 0.90 reduced below the level of 0.8 at the end of dehydration time, with the exception of a few samples; visible color values were influenced by the process. Key words: Red pepper, sea salt, water activity color, osmotic dehydration.

Radio-frequency heating to inactivate Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on black and red pepper spice

The efficacy of radio-frequency (RF) heating to inactivate Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on black and red pepper spice was investigated. A 27.12 MHz RF heating system consisted of two parallel-plate electrodes was used, with the sample being placed between them. Black peppers (whole and ground) and red peppers (+ 16 mesh, -16 + 25 mesh, and -25 mesh) inoculated with S. Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 were treated with RF energy during 50s for black peppers and 40s for red peppers, and color change of samples was evaluated after treatment. RF heating for 50s resulted in 2.80 to 4.29 log CFU/g reductions of S. Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 in black peppers and RF heating of red peppers for 40s reduced pathogens by 3.38 log CFU/g to more than 5 log CFU/g (below the detection limit) without affecting the color quality change. The results suggest that RF heating has the potential for novel thermal process to control foodborne pathogens in spice.

Improvement of the safety of the red pepper spice with FMEA and post processing EWMA quality control charts

Although there are numerous decades-old studies drawing attention to the presence of aflatoxins in spices, and particularly in red pepper spice, the problem has not been eradicated. In the present study, information presented in the literature, about production method of red pepper spice, its contamination with aflatoxin, and the uncertainty about the data are assessed to find out the points where improvement may be achieved. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) are performed to assess the risk. The highest total risk attributable to chemical plus physical plus biological causes is associated with the washing stage (RPN=363), which is followed by the receiving (RPN=342) and the storage (RPN=342) stages. The highest risk attributable to biological causes (RPN=180) is associated with microbial growth and aflatoxin production due to insufficient control of drying conditions. The highest chemical risk (RPN=144) is found for the presence of unintentional food additives, such as pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and heavy metals in fresh red pepper fruits. EWMA (exponentially weighted average) charts are employed to monitor aflatoxin production during storage. They successfully distinguished between the batches, which turned to be unsafe. Risk associated with unintentional additives may be reduced by using certified additives only. Better drying control will definitely reduce the risk associated with the drying process. Codex Alimentarius plan has worldwide acceptance for assessing safety of the nuts. Risk of accepting the batches contaminated with aflatoxin may be eliminated by applying the Codex Alimentarius sampling plan before putting the dry pulverized red pepper into the storage facility.

Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Red Paprika for Retail Sale in Spain: Occurrence and Evaluation of a Simultaneous Analytical Method

Aflatoxins are well-known mycotoxins produced mainly by two Aspergillus species particularly abundant in areas of the world with hot, humid climates. Aspergillus flavus, which is ubiquitous, produces B aflatoxins. A. parasiticus which produces both B and G aflatoxins, has more limited distribution. The next most studied mycotoxin is ochratoxin A. It belongs to a group of five produced by Penicillium verrucosum and by several species of Aspergillus, most notably A. ochraceus. Contamination of red pepper spice by aflatoxins and ochratoxin A may occur at any stage of production, from preharvest to drying and storage. Aflatoxins are the only mycotoxins with legal limits for spices in the European Union. A further limit for ochratoxin A is expected to be adopted soon. Thus, rapid simultaneous methods for quantifying the five mycotoxins are sought. Liquid extraction, immunoaffinity column cleanup and HPLC-FD with a wavelength programme were optimised for the analysis of the five mycotoxins in paprika, a complex fatty matrix. The limits of detection ranged from 0.3 to 0.6 μg/kg. Repeatability (RSDr) ranged from 7.9 to 13.4% and recoveries were between 61.4 and 77.8%, in both cases at the lower spike level. Aflatoxins, when found, were far below the two legal limits, of 5 μg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 10 μg/kg for total aflatoxins. Ochratoxin A was more frequently found, with a mean of 11.8 μg/kg, and in a more varied range (SD 18.9 μg/kg). On attempting an automation of the precolumn derivatisation step the procedure proved unfeasible, but experience derived from this trial and from the general employment of this reaction enables us to make some comments on the possibilities and limitations of this procedure and on research for an alternative one.

Drying temperature, endogenous antioxidants and capsaicinoids affect carotenoid stability in paprika (red pepper spice)

AbstractThe major carotenoids and carotenoid esters in Capsicum annuum L. during thermal dehydration of pepper and storage of the ground product (paprika) were examined with special focus on the role of endogenous antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and capsaicinoids, the pungent materials in hot spice red pepper. A high‐performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed to achieve excellent separation and accurate detection of different carotenoid classes including free xanthophylls, monoesters, carotenes and di‐esters. The newly developed method included gradient elution on a reversed‐phase column with increasing proportions of isopropanol. The results indicated that presence of capsaicinoids in pungent pepper had a favourable effect on the stability of carotenoids during thermal drying. Among various di‐esters those of lutein and zeaxanthine, as well as the mono‐ester of β‐cryptoxanthin were more stable than those of capsorubin and capsanthin, pointing to the possible role of epoxide and carbonyl groups in the susceptibility of carotenoids. An Arrhenius plot for degradation of carotenoids, tocopherols and ascorbic acid as a function of drying temperature showed linear relationships for all components, with ascorbic acid being the most sensitive. During storage in a refrigerator for 3 months the paprika showed high degradation of all the examined carotenoids particularly in samples prepared from pods dried at high temperatures (90 and 100 °C). An exception was for β‐cryptoxanthin mono‐ester and violaxanthin di‐esters in a non‐pungent variety. The amounts of these carotenoids lost during storage were slightly affected by the change in drying temperature. Strong correlation was found between retention of colour in stored paprika and the initial content of ascorbic acid, but not with that of tocopherols or capsaicinoids. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry

Vitamin B-6 Content of Spices

The vitamin B-6 content of 42 spices was measured in duplicate using a microbiological assay. There was a wide range of values for these 42 spices (0.10–4.02 mg/100 g). Relatively high sources were the red pepper spices such as chili, cayenne, and paprika (2.45–4.02 mg/100 g), garlic (2.94 mg/100 g), and certain leaves such as basil, bay leaf, dill weed, oregano, rosemary, sage, and tarragon (1.71–2.69 mg/100 g). The seeds were relatively low sources (0.21–0.89 mg/100 g). One teaspoon (5 g) per day of some of the spices which could be considered relatively better sources of vitamin B-6, could contribute anywhere from 0.1 to 0.2 mg of vitamin B-6 (5–10% of the current RDA for vitamin B-6) to the overall daily dietary consumption of the vitamin.