CAPSAICINOIDS CONTENT IN FOUR TUNISIAN HOT PEPPER VARIETIES GROWN IN AN OPEN FIELD (Capsicum annuum L.)

Quantitative analysis of capsaicinoids in various parts of the fruits (pericarp, placenta and seeds) of four hot peppers varieties, cultivated in Tunisia Capsicum annuum L. were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Total capsaicinoids content varied according to the variety, and within the same variety according to the stage of maturity and different parts of the fruit. Capsaicinoids content was higher in the placenta than in other parts, but lowest in seeds as well as in green and red fruit. ‘Piment Sesseb’ and ‘Rouge Long’ varieties had the highest total capsaicinoids contents in green and red pepper fruit but “Baklouti Kairouan” had the lowest. In each of peppers studied, the placenta had the highest capsaicinoids content, followed by the pericarp, the seeds had the lowest. The capsaicinoids content in the placenta ranged from 3.06±0.046 mg.g-1 to 0.28±0.002mg.g-1 in the green pepper “Piment Sesseb” and “Baklouti Kairouan” respectively. The content in the seeds was ranged from 0.27±0.0008 mg.g-1 to 0.04±0.0008 mg.g-1dry weight in the same varieties respectively. In the red pepper fruits, capsaicinoids content in the placenta ranged from 2.32±0.058 to 0.065±0.011 mg.g-1 in the “Piment Sesseb” and “Baklouti Kairouan” respectively. The content in the seeds was ranged from 0.17 ±0.016 mg.g-1 to 0.005±0.00018 mg.g-1dry weight in the same varieties respectively. Capsaicinoids content was higher in green pepper fruits than in red ones for various parts of the fruit