Antioxidant content of bio and conventional spice red pepper (capsicum annuum L.) as determined by HPLC

Abstract

In the present work, bio and conventional forms of spice red pepper were analysed using various high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) systems for their carotenoid, tocopherol and vitamin C contents. The carotenoid pigment was fractionated into free xanthophylls, monoesters, carotenes and diesters with newly developed reversed phase HPLC, while α-, β- and γ-isomers of vitamin E were separated by normal phase chromatography. Ion-pair chromatography on a C-18 column provided good separation and quantification of vitamin C. The peppers included new resistant varieties and hybrids that are essential for bio-production. It was found that crossing new disease-resistant varieties such as Kaldom and Kalorez with susceptible ones such as Rubin and SZ-20 produced resistant hybrids that contained higher levels of quality components compared to the parents, particularly when grown and cultivated under organic farming conditions. © 2006 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.