Influence of Ultrasonic and Chemical Pretreatments on Quality Attributes of Dried Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

Milica Lučić; Nebojša Potkonjak; Ivana Sredović Ignjatović; Steva Lević; Zora Dajić-Stevanović; Stefan Kolašinac; Miona Belović; Aleksandra Torbica; Ivan Zlatanović; Vladimir Pavlović; Antonije Onjia

doi:10.3390/foods12132468

Influence of Ultrasonic and Chemical Pretreatments on Quality Attributes of Dried Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

Foods. 2023 Jun 23;12(13):2468. doi: 10.3390/foods12132468.

Affiliations

¹ Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Karnegijeva 4, 11120 Belgrade, Serbia.
² Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Mike Petrovića Alasa 12-14, Vinča, 11351 Belgrade, Serbia.
³ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁴ Institute of Food Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
⁵ Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Kraljice Marije 16, 11120 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁶ Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11120 Belgrade, Serbia.

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of ultrasound, in combination with chemical pretreatments, on the quality attributes (total phenolic and carotenoid content, antioxidant activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH)), ferric-reducing ability (FRAP), CIE L* a* b* color, non-enzymatic browning, rehydration ratio, textural and morphological properties) of red pepper subjected to drying (hot air drying or freeze drying). The fractional factorial design was used to assess the impact of factors. The global Derringer desirability function was used to determine the optimal conditions for the best quality attributes of dried pepper. The drying method influenced total phenolic content, a* (redness), and initial rehydration ratio; pretreatment time significantly affected FRAP antiradical activity, a*, chroma and non-browning index, while pH-value had a significant effect on the texture of dried pepper. Non-enzymatic browning was reduced to 72.6%, while the DPPH antioxidant capacity of freeze-dried peppers was enhanced from 4.2% to 71.9%. Ultrasonic pretreatment led to changes in the pepper morphology, while potassium metabisulfite (KMS) was a more effective additive than citric acid.

Keywords: Derringer desirability function; antioxidant activity; citric acid; color; drying; factorial design; food quality; metabisulfite; ultrasound.

Grants and funding

This work was financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Contract No. 451-03-47/2023-01/200287, Contract No. 451-03-47/2023-01/200017, No. 451-03-47/2023-01/200116, Contract No. 451-03-47/2023-01/200135, No. 451-03-47/2023-01/200105 and No. 451-03-47/2023-01/200222).