Dynamics of Bioactive Compounds during Spontaneous Fermentation of Paste Obtained from <i>Capsicum</i> ssp.—Stage towards a Product with Technological Application
Csaba Balázs Kádár,
Adriana Păucean,
Elemér Simon,
Dan Cristian Vodnar,
Floricuța Ranga,
Iulian Eugen Rusu,
Vasile-Gheorghe Vișan,
Simona Man,
Maria Simona Chiș,
Georgiana Drețcanu
Affiliations
Csaba Balázs Kádár
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adriana Păucean
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Elemér Simon
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Calea Mănăștur, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dan Cristian Vodnar
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Calea Mănăștur, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Floricuța Ranga
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Calea Mănăștur, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Iulian Eugen Rusu
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Vasile-Gheorghe Vișan
Department of Fundamental Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Simona Man
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Maria Simona Chiș
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Georgiana Drețcanu
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3–5 Calea Mănăștur, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Six cultivars of chili (Cherry, Bulgarian Chilli, Cayenne, Fatalii, Habanero, and Carolina Reaper) from two species (Capsicum annuum and Capsicum chinense) have been studied. Anaerobic, spontaneous fermentation of pure chili paste was conducted for 21 days at 20 °C. The unfermented (UCP) and fermented chili pastes (FCP) were both subjected to physicochemical and microbiological characterization consisting of capsaicinoid, ascorbic acid, short-chain organic acids, phenolic compounds, and simple sugars analysis. Cell viability for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Leuconostoc was determined before and after fermentation. Results indicate that capsaicinoids are very stable compounds, as notable differences between unfermented and fermented samples could not be seen. Carolina Reaper and Fatalii cultivars were amongst the most pungent, whereas Cherry, Cayenne, and Bulgarian types were low to moderate in pungency. Average loss of total ascorbic acid was 19.01%. Total phenolic compounds ranged between 36.89–195.43 mg/100 g for the fresh fruits and 35.60–180.40 mg/100 g for the fermented product. Losses through fermentation were not significant (p 6–6.2 × 108 CFU/g) was high in all samples. Fermented chilies paste with enhanced biochemical and bacterial properties might further be used in the technology of vegetable (brining) or meat (curing) products, processes that generally involve the fermenting activity of different microorganisms, especially (LAB). Thus, the purpose of this research was the investigation of biochemical and microbial transformations that naturally occur in fermented chilies with a future perspective towards technological applications in cured meat products.
