Changes in the Postharvest Quality

of
Hot Peppers as Affected by
Harvest Maturity and Storage
Temperature

Dra. Elena E. Lon Kan Prado

 Introduction

 Datil peppers (Capsicum chinense) have

been grown on a small scale for several
hundred years in the coastal area of St.
Augustine, Florida.

 Mochero pepper (Capsicum chinense) is

a yellow pepper from small plant very

productive have been grown in La

Libertad, Trujillo.
DATIL PEPPER MOCHERO
 Datil pepper

Two varieties of Hot yellow

Peppers named Datil were
hand harvested from plants
grown in a greenhouse at
the University of
Florida/IFAS.

Fruits were transported

about 20 miles to the
Horticultural Postharvest
Laboratory at the University
of Florida in Gainesville.
 Ojectives:

To determine quality retention in two varieties

of yellow hot peppers, Datil selection and ‘Datil
Dew’ at three different storage temperatures.

To focus the postharvest quality based over the

control of visual appearance, weight loss,
respiration rate, harvest maturity carotenoids
and capsaicinoids content.
 Methodology
Peppers were cleaned, sorted and put in clamshells for
storage study and glass containers for respiration rate.

Temperatures were at: 5, 10 and 20oC for 14 days, then

transferred at 20oC to accelerate development of chilling
injury (4 days).
 pH, acidity and total soluble solids

For initial analysis a composite was made using

an average of 40 - 60 whole fruits. Samples
were sliced and blended at high-speed, then the
juice was extracted with hand-pressure using
cheesecloth.
 pH, acidity and total soluble solids

Using 6 g of sample and a digital 719 Titrino

equipment was determined the pH and acidity.
Results of acidity were expressed in grams of
citric acid per 100 g of sample.

Soluble solids (Brix) were determined using a

digital equipment, Abbe Mark II Refractometer
10480 with temperature compensated.
 General appearance

CLAMSHELLS Periodically, whole fruits

of clamshells from each
storage temperature were
evaluated for visual
quality using a subjective
scale of appearance
(Table 1).
 Table 1. Appearance scale used for
quality assessment of fruits
 Unusable Shriveling serious/ black spot/microbial growth

 Unmarketable Shriveling evident/soft

 Fair Shriveling minimal

 Good No shriveling. Stem

shriveled

 Field fresh Highly marketable.

shiny/glossy
 Weight loss

Overall moisture loss was determined by

repeated weighing of the same set of peppers
(fruits of clamshells) periodically, on days: 4, 5,
6, 14, and 14 + 4, from each storage
temperature.
 Respiration

Respiration rates (CO2 production) were determined

by storing 6 and 12 weighed fruits in glass

containers (for triplicate) and gas chromatography

equipment.
 Respiration
 To obtain headspace samples, the capped lids were
sealed for approximately 60 min prior to sampling.
Respiration rates were measured by injecting samples
into a GowMac, 580 series gas chromatograph.

Readings were taken periodically and final values

expressed as mg CO2.kg-1.h-1.
 Carotenoids content

 Carotenoids were determined by Spectrophotometer and HPLC

using isocratic elution.

 Sample preparation: Fruits from each varieties were randomized

into one composite of 6 to 12 peppers (only pericarp). Composite
sample was blended for 10 seconds under yellow light and then
two sub-samples of 4 g were taken.
 Carotenoids content

 Samples were saponified and extracted with hexane containing

BHT. The extract was quantitatively evaporated to dryness with
continuous flow of nitrogen. The residue was dissolved in the
mobile phase (MTBE) and filtered using 13 mm syringe filters, 0.2-
um, Nylon.
 Statistical Analysis

Data analysis. Data were analyzed using SAS

statistical software program (SAS Institute Inc.
Carey, N.C.)
Results & Discussion
 Fig. 1 pH, acidity and total soluble
solids

CHARACTERISTICS DATIL DATIL DEW

SELECTION
pH 5.42 5.73

Acidity 0.31 0.18

Soluble 13.05 7.6

solids
 Fig. 2 Visual appearance at 5oC

TIME IN DATIL DATIL DEW

STORAGE SELECTION

Good, Good,
14 d marketable marketable
+1 d
Fig. 3 Visual appearance at 10oC
DATIL SELECTION DATIL DEW
14 d + 1d
This could indicate
that ‘Datil Dew’ at
14 d + 1d lower temperature
could get maximum
Better appearance at shelf-life longer than
12 d. 14 days, such as
reported Cantwell
(2007) for bell
peppers at 7.5 oC, 3-5
weeks.
Fig. 4 Day 14 + 2 d at storage

5oC, 10oC

No typical chilling injuries signs

were observed in both peppers;

However, they were unmarketable

 Fig. 5 Day 14 + 4 d at storage

Some fruits stored at 5oC & 10oC showed

black spot; even though those stored at 10oC
were smaller.
 Fig. 6 Temperature 20oC
Peppers were Unmarketable by 11 d
Pictures showed 14d + 4d
 Fig 7. Weight loss & temperature

Relationship between the average of weight loss percentage and

the temperatures

45
Average weight loss percentaje

40
35
30
25 Datil selection
20 Datil 'Dew'
15
10
5
0
4 5 6 14 14 4 5 6 14 14 4 5 6 14 14
d + d + d +
4d 4d 4d

5 5 5 5 5 10 10 10 10 10 20 20 20 20 20
Days of te mpe rature (oC)
Fig 8. Respiration rate & temperature

Relationship between the respiration rate and the temperature

140
Respiration rate (mg CO2/kg-hr)

120

100

80
Datil s election

60 Datil 'Dew'

40

20

0
4 5 6 4 5 6 4 5 6

5 5 5 10 10 10 20 20 20
Days of temperature (oC)
Fig. 9 Respiration rate of orange datil
peppers as affected by storage temperature
Respiration rate in datil 'Selection'

90

80
Respiration rate (mg CO2/kg-hr)

70

60

50

40 o
20 C
30

20
o 10 oC
10 5 C

0
Temperature (°C)
Complementary study:

- 22 days in storage at 2, 7 & 10oC

- Two harvest maturity

Fig. 10 Moisture content was not affected
by temperature during 22 d storage
Fig. 11 Total carotenoids content was not
affected by temperature during 22 d
storage
Fig.12 Following storage, beta carotene
content was higher for peppers stored 10oC
than at 2oC
Fig. 13 Total capsaicinoids as affected
by stage of maturity

Capsaicinoids in Datil 'Selection'

0.35
Total capsaicinoids content (g/100g)

0.3

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
Green Green- Yellow Orange
Yellow

Harvest maturity stage

Fig. 14 Following storage, capsaicinoids
content decreased during storage at 7 oC or 10
oC

b
Capsaicinoids
Total Capsaicinoids Content (%)

0.34 a
0.32
b
0.30 b
0.28
0.26
0.24
0.22
0.20
Initial 2 7 10

Storage Temperature (oC)

Fig. 15 Lutein, beta-carotene and total
carotenoids contents as affected by the
maturity stage at harvest in datil pepper
Carotenoids in datil 'Selection'

Lutein Beta-carotene Total carotenoids

200
180
Carotenoids (ug/g)

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Green Green- Y ellow Orange
Y ellow

Harvest maturity stage

Fig. 16 Effect of temperature on lutein
& B-carotene, 14d + 4d
Lutein
B-carot.

120

100
Selection 'Dew'
Carotenoid content (ug/g)

80

60

40

20

0
Datil peppers at three different temperatures (5, 10 and
20C)
 Fig.17 Carotenoids ranged

CAROTENOIDS DATIL DATIL DEW

SELECTION
Lutein 68.70–100.57 48.14-52.44
(ug/g)

B-carotene 15.65–31.13 6.37–6.74

(ug/g)
 Fig. 18 PRELIMINARY RESEARCH IN
PERUVIAN PEPPERS

Shelf life and capsaicinoids

content in three comercial
peruvian hot peppers

Ajíes comerciales:
limo (Capsicum chinense),
amarillo(Capsicum baccatum),
y rocoto (Capsicum pubescens)
 Fig. 19 Estudio de vida en anaquel y de
apariencia visual (% de aceptabilidad)
100

90

80

70
Promedio de aceptabilidad (%)

60

50 AMARILLO
LIMO
40 ROCOTO

30

20

10

0
1 3 6 9 12 13
Dias de almacenamiento a temperatura ambiente (17oC)
 Fig. 20 Comparativo del porcentaje total de
capsaicinoides para las tres especies de
ajíes

0.07

0.06

0.05
Total de capsaicinoides (%)

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
AMARILLO LIMO ROCOTO
Especies de ajies
 CONCLUSION

-Peppers did not show typical signs

of chilling injuries at 5 C
o and 10 C
o

during 14 days of storage (after 24

hours at 20oC).
 CONCLUSION

•Yellow peppers became orange during storage,

especially when stored at 10 °C.

•There were significant differences due to harvest

maturity for moisture, total carotenoids, beta-
carotene and capsaicinoids contents.

•Fruit harvested at yellow stage had higher moisture

content (83%, f.w.b.) than orange stage and lower
total carotenoids content (38 μg/g); however neither
were affected by storage temperature or time.
 CONCLUSION

• After storage, beta carotene and capsaicinoids contents were

significantly higher in orange-harvested fruit than yellow-
harvest fruit (167 μg/g vs. 83 μg/g and 0.30% vs. 0.28%,
respectively; data not shown).

• The Scoville Heat Units calculated from capsaicinoids content

values for orange- and yellow-harvest peppers were 493,174
and 454,470; respectively.

• Capsaicinoids content values for datil pepper were >55%

higher than those reported for orange habanero pepper (2).
 CONCLUSION

Visual appearence at 5oC until 12 days

peruvian peppers, showed not significant
different between the three peppers. In
general, was aceptable at 100%.

In fresh samples ajíe Limo es hotter than

ajíes amarillo y rocoto.
 QUESTIONS ?

Thank you

Elena.lon-kan@ulcb.edu.pe