RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CAPSAICINOID CONTENT BETWEEN THE FRUIT PARTS OF HOT PEPPER (Capsicum annuum L.)

Capsaicinoids are secondary metabolites characteristic of plants of the genus Capsicum and are only found in the pepper fruit. Their biosynthesis occurs mainly in the placental cells as well as in the interlocular septa of the fruit. In the present study, the content of capsaicinoids (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin) was determined by HPLC in two hot pepper cultivars ('Orkan' and 'Bronowicka Ostra'), identifying the percentage of these compounds in the whole fruit and in the following fruit parts: placenta, seeds, pericarp, and pedicle. Significantly more capsaicinoids were found in 'Bronowicka Ostra' peppers (262 mg-kg(-1)) compared to 'Orkan' peppers (175 mg-kg(-1)). The highest capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin content was found in the placenta (401 mg-kg(-1)). The capsaicin content in the whole fruit and its parts is on average more than 10 times higher in relation to the dihydrocapsaicin content. Fruit harvest time contributes to the differences in the capsaicinoid content in the individual fruit parts. A higher capsaicin content was shown in the pericarp and seeds, while the dihydrocapsaicin content was higher in the pedicle of peppers harvested at the later date.