title: Antioxidants in Capsicum chinense: variation among countries of origin.
abstract: The main objective of this investigation was to evaluate fruits of C. chinense accessions for their concentration of beta -carotene, ascorbic acid, and phenols for use as parents in breeding for these phytochemicals. Mature fruits of 63 accessions of C. chinense originally acquired from Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and the United States were analyzed for their chemical composition. Fruits of C. chinense accessions PI-152452 (Brazil) and PI-360726 (Ecuador) contained the greatest concentrations of ascorbic acid (1.2 and 1.1 mg g(-1) fresh fruit, respectively), while PI-438648 (Mexico) contained the greatest concentration of total phenols content (349 micro g g(-1) fresh fruit) among the other 63 accessions tested. Accession PI-355817 from Ecuador contained the greatest concentrations of beta -carotene (8 mg g(-1)fresh fruit). These accessions were identified as potential candidates for mass production of antioxidants with health-promoting properties.
authors.affiliation: Land Grant Program, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Kentucky State University, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, USA. george.antonious@kysu.edu
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Antonious
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lobel
authors.forename: Tejinder
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kochhar
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berke
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jarret
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002212:Capsicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D005843:Geography; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D013020:South America; D014481:United States; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019207:beta Carotene; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D002211:Capsaicin