CAPSAICIN AND ASCORBIC ACID VARIABILITY IN CHILLI AND PAPRIKA CULTIVARS AS REVEALED BY HPLC ANALYSIS

Abstract

Capsaicin and ascorbic acid contents of seven Indian peppers varieties/accessions from Capsicum annuum (CA 97, CCH, K1, KTPL19, Arka Abhir and Bayadagi Kaddi) and C. frutescens (CF1) species were determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Based on their pungency value, all the chilli accession/varieties (CA 97, CCH, K1, and CF 1) were classified as highly pungent peppers. The accession CF1 showed the highest concentration of capsaicin (445mg 100g ^-1 DW) with corresponding pungency value of 71,200 SHUs and Arka Abhir variety showed the lowest capsaicin concentration (29mg 100g ^-1 DW) with 4,672 SHUs of pungency value. Similarly, Bayadaggi kaddi variety showed the highest ascorbic acid content (189 mg/100 FW) and the accession CA 97 showed the lowest ascorbic acid contents (55.3 mg/100 FW). The variability in capsaicin and ascorbic acid content presented in the pepper germplasm can be exploited for breeding cultivars with improved nutritional qualities. Moreover, CF1and Bayadagi kaddi can be used as a potential source for capsaicin and vitamin C, respectively.