THE EFFECT OF DEHYDRATION ON BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN SWEET RED PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.)

Red peppers are rich in bioactive compounds (ss-carotene, vitamin C) and other nutrients, thus they can also be consumed as a dehydrated product. The most used method of dehydration is the hot air convection method. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of convective dryness on the retention of bioactive compounds in order to obtain products with high biological value. The effects of air temperature (50, 60, 70 and 80 degrees C) on the retention of ss-carotene and vitamin C in dehydrated red peppers were studied. The dehydration was carried out in a thermoregulable dryer with forced air circulation. The red peppers were dehydrated to a dry matter content of 90-93%. Fresh red pepper samples had an average content of 7.66 mg ss-carotene / 100 g dry matter (DM), while ss-carotene content in dried samples at 50, 60, 70 and 80 degrees C was 5.88, 4.06, 3.45, 4.62 mg / 100 g DM. Vitamin C retention in dehydrated products increases with the decrease of drying air temperature. The results obtained show that the convective drying with hot air at a suitable temperature can reduce the loss of ss-carotene and vitamin C from dehydrated peppers.