Influence of Postharvest Temperatures on Carotenoid Biosynthesis and Phytochemicals in Mature Green Chili (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.)

• Main Authors: Wissanee Pola (Author), Sumiko Sugaya (Author), Songsin Photchanachai (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2020-03-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

An intense red color appearance in hot chili is what industry commonly demands. The harvested mature green &#8220;Takanotsume&#8221; chili, a popular cultivar in Japan, incubated at 20 and 30 &#176;C is investigated. At 30 &#176;C, the chili rapidly degraded chlorophylls and obtained an intense red color, but presented an orange&#8722;red color at 20 &#176;C. The sample showed higher carotenoid accumulations at 30 &#176;C, along with significantly upregulated carotenoid biosynthesis-related genes&#8212;phytoene synthase (<i>Psy</i>), lycopene-&#946;-cyclase (<i>Lcyb</i>), &#946;-carotene hydroxylase (<i>CrtZ</i>), and capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (<i>Ccs</i>)&#8212;during the experiment. While the expression of the <i>Ccs</i> gene was reduced, there was a 5.5-fold upregulation of the <i>Psy</i> gene at the end of incubation. At 20 &#176;C, the <i>Psy</i> gene was downregulated. These observations suggest that the expression of individual genes is temperature-dependent, and these would affect specific carotenoid compounds. The antioxidant capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DPPH and ferric-reducing antioxidant power; FRAP) values had no difference between temperatures; the higher content of total phenolics and vitamin C presented in the chili at 30 &#176;C probably corresponds to the advanced ripening process. Thus, 30 &#176;C is the recommended incubation temperature for mature green chili to achieve the industry-demanded intense red color and high accumulation of phytochemicals.

Item Description

2076-3921
10.3390/antiox9030203