Colour, physicochemical, microbiological and bioactive component quality analysis of peppers in Guizhou

With the development of the pepper industry and the increasing number of people who prefer spicy peppers, consumers' demands for high-quality peppers have increased. Nine pepper cultivars from Guizhou province, China were collected and their colour, physicochemical and microbiological indices and bioactive components were analysed and evaluated. Six phenolic compounds and eight carotenoids were determined using HPLC and UPLC, respectively. The nine peppers showed significant colour variability and could be divided into two main categories, red and yellow. In addition, the peppers also differed in physicochemical and microbiological indicators. The capsaicin content ranged from 0.35 mg/g for X63 to 1.64 mg/g for the SH variety. In terms of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and vitamin C (VC) content, SH was the highest, followed by HMPC-20 and X63 cultivars. Catechin and capsanthin were the main phenolic compounds and carotenoids with levels of 192.21-384.73 mu g/g and 42.88-69.94 mu g/g, respectively. Overall, SH pepper was significantly better than the other eight samples. This study provides guidance and reference for the selection of optimal pepper raw materials for in-depth development in the future.