Characterization of capsaicinoids and antioxidants in hot peppers as influenced by hybrid and harvesting stage.

Studies were conducted to investigate the accumulation pattern of capsaicinoids and antioxidants such as carotenoids, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds in three hot pepper hybrids at five different harvesting stages: immature green, mature green, color break, red ripe and dried fruit. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin contents were maximum at mature green stage in both Sky Red (61.30 and 43.76 mg/100 g) and Wonder King (43.93 and 26.16 mg/100 g) hybrids, whereas Maha hybrid reached top values at color break stage (39.13 and 24.20 mg/100 g). The accumulation of total carotenoids showed an 8-fold increase from red ripe (12 mg/100 g) to dried fruit stage (96 mg/100 g), while a noticeable decline by 76 % was observed for ascorbic acid at same harvesting stages (150 vs. 36 mg/100 g, respectively). The three hot pepper hybrids showed great variations in the evolution of total phenolic contents during harvesting stages. Overall, the mature green stage was ideal to acquire maximum pungency due to capsaicinoids, while peppers at red ripe stage were best sources of ascorbic acid and dried fruits contained higher levels of total carotenoids.