Kentucky State University
Variations in Capsaicinoids Content of Hot Pepper Extracts
Institution
Kentucky State University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
George Antonious; Tejinder Kochhar
Abstract
Environmentally compatible pest-control agents for use on vegetable crops are needed to replace pesticides that are ineffective, that have been withdrawn for regulatory reasons or whose costs are prohibitive. Ninety Capsicum accessions selected from the USDA Capsicum germplasm collection were screened for their capsaicinoids content using gas chromatography (GC/NPD). Fresh fruits of Capsicum chinense, C. frutescens, C. baccatum, C. annuum, and C. pubescens were extracted with methanol, and analyzed for capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin. Mass spectrometry of the fruit crude extracts indicated that the molecular ions at m/z 305, 307, and 293 which correspond to capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin, respectively, have a common benzyl cation fragment at m/z 137 that can be used for monitoring capsaicinoids in hot pepper fruit extracts. Concentrations of total capsaicinoids varied from not detectable to 11.2 mg fruit-1. Statistical analysis revealed that accession PI-441624 (C. chinense) had the highest capsaicin content (2.9 mg g-1 fresh fruit) and accession PI497984 (C. frutescens) had the highest dihydrocapsaicin content (2.3 mg g-1 fresh fruit). Accessions PI-439522 (C. frutescens) and PI-497984 contained the highest concentrations of total capsaicinoids. Quantification of capsaicinoids in the selected accessions allowed us to identify genotypes with high levels of total capsaicinoids and enabled the prediction of the amount of each component that can be obtained per kg and per acre of hot peppers produced. Accessions PI-441624, PI-497984, and PI-439522 were identified as potential candidates for the mass production of capsaicinoids, or for the breeding of varieties having greatest capsaicin content.
Variations in Capsaicinoids Content of Hot Pepper Extracts
Environmentally compatible pest-control agents for use on vegetable crops are needed to replace pesticides that are ineffective, that have been withdrawn for regulatory reasons or whose costs are prohibitive. Ninety Capsicum accessions selected from the USDA Capsicum germplasm collection were screened for their capsaicinoids content using gas chromatography (GC/NPD). Fresh fruits of Capsicum chinense, C. frutescens, C. baccatum, C. annuum, and C. pubescens were extracted with methanol, and analyzed for capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin. Mass spectrometry of the fruit crude extracts indicated that the molecular ions at m/z 305, 307, and 293 which correspond to capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin, respectively, have a common benzyl cation fragment at m/z 137 that can be used for monitoring capsaicinoids in hot pepper fruit extracts. Concentrations of total capsaicinoids varied from not detectable to 11.2 mg fruit-1. Statistical analysis revealed that accession PI-441624 (C. chinense) had the highest capsaicin content (2.9 mg g-1 fresh fruit) and accession PI497984 (C. frutescens) had the highest dihydrocapsaicin content (2.3 mg g-1 fresh fruit). Accessions PI-439522 (C. frutescens) and PI-497984 contained the highest concentrations of total capsaicinoids. Quantification of capsaicinoids in the selected accessions allowed us to identify genotypes with high levels of total capsaicinoids and enabled the prediction of the amount of each component that can be obtained per kg and per acre of hot peppers produced. Accessions PI-441624, PI-497984, and PI-439522 were identified as potential candidates for the mass production of capsaicinoids, or for the breeding of varieties having greatest capsaicin content.