A Study on the Influence of Drying Methods upon the Chemical Changes in Red Pepper

This investigation was designed to determine the influence of drying methods on the chemical changes in red pepper. Three different drying methods were employed: 1) Sun-drying at for 15 days, 2) Drying in oven at for 49 hours, and 3) Drying in oven at for 8 hours. Dried and ground peels were used for the analysis of carotenoid pigments, capsaicin, and vitamin C. The results were as follows; 1. The total carotenoid content of sun-dried sample was more significantly in creased about 4% than that of the fresh sample, but both samples dried in oven were decreased about 30%. Among carotenoid groups, diol-polyol group was chiefly increased, and both samples dried in oven were decreased in the same trend; reduction was found in hydrocarbons and monols and was in diol-polyols. 2. In Capsaicin content in red pepper, the sun-dried sample was increased about twice of that of the fresh sample and both samples dried in oven were also tended to increase. 3. High reduction of vitamin C content was found in each treatment; 76% for the sun-dried and 89% for the oven-dried samples, respectively.