Post-harvest characterization of Capsicum sp species.

Abstract

Chili peppers are one of the most consumed spices in the world. Due to the significant amount of different genotypes of chili peppers existing in Brazil, it is extremely desirable to characterize them in relation to its post-harvest quality. The objective of this present work has been to characterize physiologically, chemically and physically chili peppers of the Capsicum genus. Four different varieties of chili peppers (Capsicum sp.), “pimenta-americana”, “pimenta-bode”, “pimenta-de-cheiro” and “pimenta-dedo-de-moça”, were obtained form Ceasa-DF and taken to Embrapa’s Vegetable Post-Harvest Laboratory, where they were selected and classified. The samples were divided into two groups. One group was immediately analyzed for chlorophyll a, b and total, and color (L*a*b*). The other group was stored at room temperature (24±1 °C) and assessed at each hour during 5 hours for respiratory activity. The total chlorophyll content was around 60% greater in “pimenta-bode” in relation to “pimenta-dedo-de-moça”. “Pimenta-americana” and “pimenta-de-cheiro” presented intermediary levels of total chlorophyll. It was observed that the relationship between chlorophylls a/b was very close for the varieties “pimenta-dedo-de-moça”, “pimenta-de-cheiro” and “pimenta-bode”, differing significantly from “pimenta-americana”. The first three specimens studied had a chlorophyll a/b relation close to 2,35, a figure that indicates an immature fruit, as well as the predominance of chloroplasts. On the other hand, “pimenta-americana” presented a relation close to 1,19, an indicative of an advanced ripening process. The color relation a*/b*, an indicative of predominant green color (negative value), or red-orange (positive value), was around 20% greater for “pimenta-americana” when compared to the other varieties, which corroborates to the low relation chlorophyll a/b observed for this specimen. In the beginning of the experiment the genotypes “pimenta-de-cheiro” and “pimenta-bode” presented similar breathing activity, whereas “pimenta-americana” had respiratory activity 50% lower than those genotypes. On the other hand, “pimenta-dedo-de-moça” had CO2 evolution that was around 3 times greater than that of “pimenta-de-cheiro” and “pimenta-bode”. At the end of the experiment the chili peppers respiratory activity was statistically identical.