Variation in β-carotene and total carotenoid content in fruits of Capsicum

The beta -carotene and total carotenoid content of either fresh or dried tissue of fruits of a total of 57 cultivars of six Capsicum species were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). beta -Carotene levels in ripe fruit varied from 0 to 166 mug.g(-1) fresh weight, and carotenoid levels were from 1 to 896 mug.g(-1) in ripe fruit in 1996. The range of values for beta -carotene was similar in 1997, but that for total carotenoids was wider (4 to 1173 mug.g(-1) fresh weight). Fresh fruit of the cultivars Greenleaf Tabasco, Pulla, Guajillo, NuMex Conquistador, Ring-O-Fire, and Thai Dragon contained greater amounts of beta -carotene per 100 g fresh weight than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin A for the average adult. For dried Capsicum entries, New Mexican, aji, pasilla, and ancho types had the highest levels of beta -carotene. In 1996, P-carotene levels among the dried Capsicum germplasm ranged from 2 to 739 mug.g(-1) dry weight, and carotenoid levels from 111 to 6226 mug.g(-1). Values were higher in 1997, ranging from 24 to 1198 mug.g(-1) dry weight for beta -carotene and from 187 to 10,121 mug.g(-1) for total carotenoids. A pasilla type (C. annuum L.) had the highest total carotenoid content among the dried entries in both years.