Capsaicinoids content prediction model development for Korean red-pepper powder using a visible and near-infrared spectroscopy

A nondestructive, real-time pungency measuring system with visible and near-infrared spectroscopy has been recently developed to measure capsaicinoids content in Korean red-pepper powder. One hundred twenty-five red-pepper powder samples produced from 11 regions in Republic of Korea were used for this investigation. The visible and near-infrared absorption spectra in the range from 450 to 950 nm were acquired and used for the development of prediction models of capsaicinoids contents in red-pepper powders without any chemical pretreatment to the samples. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) models were developed to predict the regional capsaicinoids contents using the acquired absorption spectra. The chemical analysis of the total capsaicinoids (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin) was performed by a high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. The determination coefficient of validation (R-V(2)) and the standard error of prediction (SEP) for the capsaicinoids content prediction model, for a representative region in this study, were 0.9585 and +/- 10.147 mg/100g, respectively.