The Effect of Short-term Storage and the Hot Water Treatment of Fresh-Cut Pepper Fruit cv. ‛Blondy F1’ and ‛Yecla F1’ on the Content of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to determine the changes in the contents of bioactive compounds and antioxidant/antiradical activity in fresh-cut fruits of sweet pepper cv. ‘Blondy F1’ and ‘Yecla F1’, depending on the postharvest treatment. Treatment with hot water and short-term storage decreased the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant/antiradical activity of fruit peppers. The treatment with water at 55 °C for 12 sec. of fresh-cut fruits caused lower losses in content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant/antiradical activities than the treatment with water at 45 °C for 10 min. There was a significant correlation between the content of total polyphenols and antioxidant and antiradical activity of pepper fruits depending on the cultivar and the experimental season.

Keywords

• pepper
• antioxidant activity
• antiradical activity
• short-term storage
• minimal processing