Polyphenols and carotenoids in pickled bell pepper from organic and conventional production.

Abstract

Sweet bell pepper is a perfect source of flavonoids and carotenoids. Some experiments indicated that fresh organic vegetables contained more of these bioactive compounds in comparison to the conventional ones. It could be expected that pickled organic vegetables also contain more antioxidant compounds. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse and to compare the concentration of bioactive compounds in organic vs. conventional pickled bell pepper. Two cultivars of sweet red pepper (Roberta and Berceo) from organic and conventional cultivation were used in the experiment. The content of dry matter, polyphenols and carotenoids in fruit has been determined. The conventional pickled bell pepper fruits appeared to be richer in phenolic acids, while organic samples contained significantly more flavonoids, including myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, and carotenoids such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, capsorubin, cryptoxanthin and cryptoflavin in comparison to the conventional ones.