Dissipation kinetics and the evaluation of dietary risks associated with deltamethrin, ethion, fenazaquin, and fenpropathrin on bell pepper (Solanum annuum L.).

Bell peppers, a globally significant crop, face infestations from various pests. In a study, bell peppers were treated with deltamethrin, ethion, fenazaquin, and fenpropathrin at recommended and double the doses, repeated twice with a 10-day interval. The QuEChERS method underwent validation for linearity, matrix match, accuracy, and precision in bell pepper matrices for residue analysis. The limit of detection for the tested pesticides on bell peppers was 0.01 mg/L, with a quantification limit of 0.05 mg/L. Recovery studies showed a range of 94.80% to 102.80%. Initial deposits of deltamethrin, ethion, fenazaquin, and fenpropathrin on bell peppers at recommended doses were 0.371, 1.237, 0.617, and 0.640 mg/L, respectively, and at double doses were 0.712, 1.945, 1.221, and 1.189 mg/L, respectively. Safe waiting periods of 10, 11, 10, and 8 days were suggested for deltamethrin, ethion, fenazaquin, and fenpropathrin, respectively. The corresponding half-lives for the pesticides were 1.96, 1.79, 2.06, and 1.69 days, all following first-order dissipation kinetics. Dietary risk assessment indicated Hazard Quotients (HQ) below 1 and Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (TMDI) below Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and Maximum Permissible Intake (MPI) levels. Therefore, at their recommended doses, the pesticides were deemed safe for bell pepper cultivation.

Timut Pepper Extract Slows Age-Dependent Decline of Mobility and Collagen Loss and Promotes Longevity.

Investigations into human longevity are increasingly focusing on healthspan enhancement, not just lifespan extension. Lifestyle modifications and nutritional choices, including food supplements, can significantly affect aging and general health. Phytochemicals in centenarians' diets, such as those found in Timut pepper, a Nepalese spice with various medicinal properties, may contribute to their longevity. Similarly, Sichuan pepper, a related species, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. With the broader purpose of uncovering a novel treatment to address aging and its comorbidities, this study aims to investigate the potential lifespan- and healthspan-promoting effects of Timut pepper using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that Timut pepper extract extends C. elegans' lifespan at different maintenance temperatures and increases the proportion of active nematodes in their early adulthood. In addition, we show that Timut pepper extract enhances speed and distance moved as the nematodes age. Finally, Timut pepper extract assures extracellular matrix homeostasis by slowing the age-dependent decline of collagen expression.

Structural and Functional Characterization of New Lipid Transfer Proteins with Chitin-Binding Properties: Insights from Protein Structure Prediction, Molecular Docking, and Antifungal Activity.

Faced with the emergence of multiresistant microorganisms that affect human health, microbial agents have become a serious global threat, affecting human health and plant crops. Antimicrobial peptides have attracted significant attention in research for the development of new microbial control agents. This work's goal was the structural characterization and analysis of antifungal activity of chitin-binding peptides from Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum frutescens seeds on the growth of Candida and Fusarium species. Proteins were initially submitted to extraction in phosphate buffer pH 5.4 and subjected to chitin column chromatography. Posteriorly, two fractions were obtained for each species, Cb-F1 and Cf-F1 and Cb-F2 and Cf-F2, respectively. The Cb-F1 (C. baccatum) and Cf-F1 (C. frutescens) fractions did not bind to the chitin column. The electrophoresis results obtained after chromatography showed two major protein bands between 3.4 and 14.2 kDa for Cb-F2. For Cf-F2, three major bands were identified between 6.5 and 14.2 kDa. One band from each species was subjected to mass spectrometry, and both bands showed similarity to nonspecific lipid transfer protein. Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis had their growth inhibited by Cb-F2. Cf-F2 inhibited the development of C. albicans but did not inhibit the growth of C. tropicalis. Both fractions were unable to inhibit the growth of Fusarium species. The toxicity of the fractions was tested in vivo on Galleria mellonella larvae, and both showed a low toxicity rate at high concentrations. As a result, the fractions have enormous promise for the creation of novel antifungal compounds.

Estimation of environment stability for fruit yield and capsaicin content by using two models in Capsicum chinense Jacq. (Ghost Pepper) with multi-year evaluation.

Background: Capsicum chinense Jacq. (Ghost Pepper) is well-known for its high pungency and pleasant aroma. The recent years witnessed a significant decline in popularity of this important crop due to the use of inferior planting material and lack of elite lines. To maintain constant performance across a variety of settings, it is crucial to choose stable lines with high yield and capsaicin content, as these are the most promising traits of Ghost Pepper. Method: In this study, 120 high-capsaicin genotypes were subjected to a 3-year (kharif 2017, 2018 and 2019) stability investigation utilizing two well-known stability methods: Eberhart-Russell (ER) and additive main effects and multiple interaction (AMMI). Three replications were used following Randomized Complete Block Design for 11 traits. The experiment soil was sandy loam with pH 4.9. Minimum and maximum temperature of 18.5 °C, 17.5 °C, 17.4 °C and 32.2 °C, 31.3 °C, 32.7 °C and rainfall of 1,781, 2,099, 1,972 mm respectively was recorded for the study period. Result: The genotype-environment linear interaction (G×E Lin.) was highly significant for days to 50% flowering, capsaicin content, fruit length and girth, fruit yield per plant and number of fruits per plant at p < 0.005. G×E interaction for fruit yield and capsaicin content in AMMI-analysis of variance reported 67.07% and 71.51% contribution by IPCA-1 (interactive principal component axis) and 32.76% and 28.49% by IPCA-2, respectively. Eight genotypes were identified to be stable with high yield and capsaicin content. The identified stable lines can be opted for cultivation to reduce the impact of crop failure when grown in different macro-environments. Moreover, the pharmaceutical and spice sectors will also be benefitted from the lines with high capsaicin content. Further research assessing the lines' performance across various regions of India can provide a solid foundation for the crop's evaluation at national level.

Microbial and physicochemical changes in green bell peppers treated with ultrasonic-assisted washing in combination with Thymus vulgaris essential oil nanocapsules.

In this study, the effect of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TVO) nanoemulsion (NE, 500 mg/L) in combination with ultrasound (ultrasound-NE) on the microbial and physiological quality of green bell pepper was investigated. The TVO-NE droplet size and zeta potential were 84.26 nm and - 0.77 mV, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the TVO and TVO-NE against E. coli and S. aureus were about 0.07 and 7 g/L, respectively. The NE-ultrasound treatment exhibited the lowest peroxidase activity and respiration rate with no detrimental effect on texture, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, pH, and TSS. Although the NE-ultrasound treatment showed the highest weight loss and electrolytic leakage, it exhibited the best visual color and appearance. The NE-ultrasound treatment descended the total viable/mold and yeast counts significantly compared to control. Results showed that treating the bell peppers with NE-ultrasound can result in bell peppers with good postharvest quality and extended shelf life.

Pollution of four heavy metal elements in dried chili peppers in Guizhou Province and its health risk assessment.

This study aimed to evaluate arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) levels in dried chili peppers from nine districts in Guizhou Province. These heavy metals, widely dispersed and capable of transferring to crops, pose potential health risks to humans. The assessment included modeling daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), total target hazard index (TTHQ), and target carcinogenic risk (TCR) to assess health risks across different population groups. Results showed chromium (0.9540 ± 0.301 mg/kg) and lead (0.8949 ± 0.266 mg/kg) had the highest concentrations, followed by arsenic (0.3287 ± 0.093 mg/kg) and cadmium (0.0627 ± 0.017 mg/kg). Children exhibited higher EDI values than adults, indicating greater health risks from dried chili pepper consumption at equivalent levels. THQ and TTHQ values were below 1 across all regions, indicating no significant health risks associated with dried chili pepper consumption. Similarly, TCR values were below 10-4 for all nine regions, indicating an acceptable level of carcinogenic risk. Overall, consuming dried chili peppers in Guizhou Province poses an acceptable health risk, but caution is advised, especially for children, to limit heavy metal exposure.

A Lombard Variety of Sweet Pepper Regulating Senescence and Proliferation: The Voghera Pepper.

Aging and its related disorders are important issues nowadays and the first cause of this physio-pathological condition is the overproduction of ROS. Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant mediator and its anti-aging proprieties are well known. Our previous data demonstrated that Voghera sweet pepper (VP), a distinctive type of pepper cultivated in Italy, is particularly rich in ascorbic acid. Based on these data, the anti-aging effect mediated by extracts of the edible part of VP was evaluated on an in vitro model of both young and old Normal Human Diploid Fibroblasts (NHDF). Using phase contrast microscopy, we observed that VP may help cells in the maintenance of physiological morphology during aging. Cytofluorimetric analyses revealed that VP extracts led to an increase in DNA synthesis and percentage of living cells, linked to a consequent increase in mitotic events. This hypothesis is supported by the enhancement of PCNA expression levels observed in old, treated fibroblasts, corroborating the idea that this extract could recover a young phenotype in adult fibroblasts, confirmed by the study of p16 and p53 expression levels and TEM analyses. Based on these results, we may suppose that VP can lead to the partial recovery of "young-like" phenotypes in old fibroblasts.

Detection of aflatoxin B1 in chili powder using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Aflatoxin B1, a major global food safety concern, is produced by toxigenic fungi during crop growing, drying, and storage, and shows increasing annual prevalence. This study aimed to detect aflatoxin B1 in chili samples using ATR-FTIR coupled with machine learning algorithms. We found that 83.6% of the chili powder samples were contaminated with Aspergillus and Penicillium species, with aflatoxin B1 levels ranging from 7.63 to 44.32 µg/kg. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in the fingerprint region (1800-400 cm-1) showed peak intensity variation in the bands at 1587, 1393, and 1038 cm-1, which are mostly related to aflatoxin B1 structure. The PCA plots from samples with different trace amounts of aflatoxin B1 could not be separated. Vibrational spectroscopy combined with machine learning was applied to address this issue. The logistic regression model had the best F1 score with the highest %accuracy (73%), %sensitivity (73%), and %specificity (71%), followed by random forest and support vector machine models. Although the logistic regression model contributed significant findings, this study represents a laboratory research project. Because of the peculiarities of the ATR-FTIR spectral measurements, the spectra measured for several batches may differ, necessitating running the model on multiple spectral ranges and using increased sample sizes in subsequent applications. This proposed method has the potential to provide rapid and accurate results and may be valuable in future applications regarding toxin detection in foods when simple onsite testing is required.

The difference analysis of physicochemical indexes and volatile flavor compounds of chili oil prepared from different varieties of chili pepper.

Because of its peculiar flavor, chili oil is widely used in all kinds of food and is welcomed by people. Chili pepper is an important raw material affecting its quality, and commercial chili oil needs to meet various production needs, so it needs to be made with different chili peppers. However, the current compounding method mainly relies on the experience of professionals and lacks the basis of objective numerical analysis. In this study, the chroma and capsaicinoids of different chili oils were analyzed, and then the volatile components were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-ion migration spectrometer (GC-IMS) and electronic nose (E-nose). The results showed that Zidantou chili oil had the highest L*, b*, and color intensity (ΔE) (52.76 ± 0.52, 88.72 ± 0.89, and 118.84 ± 1.14), but the color was tended to be greenyellow. Xinyidai chili oil had the highest a* (65.04 ± 0.2). But its b* and L* were relatively low (76.17 ± 0.29 and 45.41 ± 0.16), and the oil was dark red. For capsaicinoids, Xiaomila chili oil had the highest content of capsaicinoids was 2.68 ± 0.07 g/kg, Tianjiao chili oil had the lowest content of capsaicinoids was 0.0044 ± 0.0044 g/kg. Besides, 96 and 54 volatile flavor substances were identified by GC-MS and GC-IMS respectively. And the main volatile flavor substances of chili oil were aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and esters. A total of 11 key flavor compounds were screened by the relative odor activity value (ROAV). Moguijiao chili oil and Zidantou chili oil had a prominent grass aroma because of hexanal, while Shizhuhong chili oil, Denglongjiao chili oil, Erjingtiao chili oil, and Zhoujiao chili oil had a prominent floral aroma because of 2, 3-butanediol. Chili oils could be well divided into 3 groups by the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). According to the above results, the 10 kinds of chili oil had their own characteristics in color, capsaicinoids and flavor. Based on quantitative physicochemical indicators and flavor substances, the theoretical basis for the compounding of chili oil could be provided to meet the production demand more scientifically and accurately.

In vitro and in silico investigation of effects of antimicrobial peptides from Solanaceae plants against rice sheath blight pathogen Rhizoctinia solani.

Rhizoctonia solani, the causative agent of sheath blight disease in rice, poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity. Traditional management approaches involving chemical fungicides have been effective but come with detrimental consequences for the ecosystem. This study aimed to investigate sustainable alternatives in the form of antifungal peptides derived from Solanaceous plant species as potential agents against R. solani. Peptide extracts were obtained using an optimized antimicrobial peptide (AMP) extraction method and desalted using the solid-phase extraction technique. The antifungal potential of peptide-rich extracts from Solanum tuberosum and Capsicum annum was assessed through in vitro tests employing the agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, peptide-protein docking analysis was performed on HPEPDOCK and HDOCK server; and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) of 100 ns period were performed using the Gromacs 2020.4. The results demonstrated significant inhibition zones for both extracts at concentrations of 100 mg/mL. Additionally, the extracts of Solanum tuberosum and Capsicum annum had minimum inhibitory concentrations of 50 mg/mL and 25 mg/mL, respectively with minimum fungicidal concentrations of 25 mg/mL. Insights into the potential mechanisms of key peptides inhibiting R. solani targets were gleaned from in-silico studies. Notably, certain AMPs exhibited favorable free energy of binding against pathogenicity-related targets, including histone demethylase, sortin nexin, and squalene synthase, in protein-peptide docking simulations. Extended molecular dynamics simulations lasting 100 ns and MM-PBSA calculations were performed on select protein-peptide complexes. AMP10 displayed the most favorable binding free energy against all target proteins, with AMP3, AMP12b, AMP6, and AMP15 also exhibiting promising results against specific targets of R. solani. These findings underscore the potential of peptide extracts from S. tuberosum and C. annum as effective antifungal agents against rice sheath blight caused by R. solani.

Flavor profile analysis of grilled lamb seasoned with classic salt, chili pepper, and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) through HS-SPME-GC-MS, HS-GC-IMS, E-nose techniques, and sensory evaluation on Sonit sheep.

In this study, the volatile flavor profiles of grilled lamb seasoned with salt, chili pepper, and cumin were analyzed employing HS-SPME-GC-MS, HS-GC-IMS, E-nose, and sensory evaluation techniques. The E-nose was found effective in differentiating the samples seasoned variously. A total of 67 volatile compounds were identified by HS-SPME-GC-MS, and 59 by HS-GC-IMS. The PCA demonstrated a correlation between the seasonings and the volatile compounds, with five principal components accounting for 99.54% of the total variance. 1-octen-3-ol, 3-furanmethanol, acetic acid, and heptanal were introduced by salt; compounds like propyl acetate were correlated with chili pepper; a broader range, including ethyl 3-methylbutanoate and high concentrations of alpha-pinene, was associated with cumin. Samples seasoned with all three ingredients showed similarities to those associated with cumin, alongside unique compounds such as gamma-octalactone and alpha-pinene. Sensory evaluations by consumers indicated that the combination of these seasonings significantly enhanced the overall acceptability of the grilled lamb. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Utilizing modern analytical techniques, this study has successfully revealed the distinct impacts of seasonings-salt, chili pepper, and cumin-on the flavor profile of grilled lamb. By providing experimental data on how each seasonings influence the flavor profile of grilled lamb prepared with Sonit sheep. The research offers theoretical foundation for the development of grilled lamb products. By conducting a thorough comparison between GC-MS and GC-IMS, this study has expanded the understanding of the distinct characteristics of these two technologies. It has also provided a clearer analysis of some flavor compounds dimers produced in GC-IMS system.

Identification, structure elucidation, and isomer differentiation of phenolic compounds of Chinese pepper cultivars by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and their antioxidant activity.

A total of 43 compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, and diterpene, were identified and characterized using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS coupled with UNIFI software. The identified flavonoids were mostly isomers of luteolin, apigenin, and quercetin, which were elucidated and distinguished for the first time in pepper cultivars. The use of multivariate data analytics for sample discrimination revealed that luteolin derivatives played the most important role in differentiating pepper cultivars. The content of phenolic acids and flavonoids in immature green peppers was generally higher than that of mature red peppers. The pepper extracts possessed significant antioxidant activities, and the antioxidant activities correlated well with phenolic contents and their molecular structure. In conclusion, the findings expand our understanding of the phytochemical components of the Chinese pepper genotype at two maturity stages. Moreover, a UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS in negative ionization mode rapid methods for characterization and isomers differentiation was described.

Theoretical exploration of the phenolic compounds' inhibition mechanism of heterocyclic aromatic amines in roasted beef patties by density functional theory.

The ability of spices (bay leaf, star anise, and red pepper) and their characteristic phenolic compounds (quercetin, kaempferol, and capsaicin) to inhibit Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in roasted beef patties were compared. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to reveal phenolic compounds interacting with HAAs-related intermediates and free radicals to explore possible inhibitory mechanisms for HAAs. 3 % red chili and 0.03 % capsaicin reduced the total HAAs content by 57.09 % and 68.79 %, respectively. DFT demonstrated that this was due to the stronger interaction between capsaicin and the ß-carboline HAAs intermediate (Ebind = -32.95 kcal/mol). The interaction between quercetin and phenylacetaldehyde was found to be the strongest (Ebind = -17.47 kcal/mol). Additionally, DFT indicated that capsaicin reduced the carbonyl content by transferring hydrogen atoms (HAT) to eliminate HO·, HOO·, and carbon-centered alkyl radicals. This study provided a reference for the development of DFT in the control of HAAs.

Ready-to-use ratiometric bioluminescence immunosensor for detection of ochratoxin a in pepper.

Rapid, portable, and accurate detection tools for monitoring ochratoxin A (OTA) in food are essential for the guarantee of food safety and human health. Herein, as a proof-of-concept, this study proposed a ratiometric bioluminescence immunosensor (RBL-immunosensor) for homogeneous detection of OTA in pepper. The construct of the RBL-immunosensor consists of three components, including the large fragment of the split nanoluciferase (NanoLuc)-tagged nanobody (NLg), the small fragment of the split NanoLuc-tagged mimotope peptide heptamer (MPSm), and the calibrator luciferase (GeNL). The specific nanobody-mimotope peptide interaction between NLg and MPSm induces the reconstitution of the NanoLuc, which catalyzes the Nano-Glo substrate and produces a blue emission peak at 458 nm. Meanwhile, GeNL can produce a green emission peak at 518 nm upon substrate conversion via bioluminescent resonance energy transfer (BRET). Therefore, the concentration of OTA can be linked to the variation of the bioluminescence signal (λ458/λ518) measured by microplate reader and the variation of the blue/green ratio measured by smartphone via the competitive immunoreaction where OTA competes with MPSm to bind NLg. The immunosensor is ready-to-use and works by simply mixing the components in a one-step incubation of 10 min for readout. It has a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.98 ng/mL by a microplate reader and an LOD of 1.89 ng/mL by a smartphone. Good selectivity and accuracy were confirmed for the immunosensor by cross-reaction analysis and recovery experiments. The contents of OTA in 10 commercial pepper powder samples were tested by the RBL-immunosensor and validated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Hence, the ready-to-use RBL-immunosensor was demonstrated as a highly reliable tool for detection of OTA in food.

Determination of twelve neonicotinoid pesticides in chili using an improved QuEChERS method with UPLC-Q-TOF/MS.

In this study, a QuEChERS method based on citrate was developed and utilized for the analysis of twelve neonicotinoid pesticides in fresh red chilies, fresh green chilies, and dried chilies, coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS). In the sample preparation, acetonitrile containing 1% formic acid was used as the extraction solvent. Anhydrous sodium sulfate replaced the traditional anhydrous magnesium sulfate for water removal, effectively eliminating the issues of salt caking. Graphitized carbon black, octadecyl silica, and primary secondary amine were used as cleaning agents. The method showed good sensitivity, with the limits of quantification below 0.03 mg/kg for fresh chilies and below 0.15 mg/kg for dried chilies. Values of matrix effects ranged from -19.5% to 8.4%, and the recovery was 86.9% - 105.2%. The analytical method provided an effective tool for the high throughput detection of neonicotinoid pesticide residues in multiple chili matrices.

Isolation and evaluation of probiotics from traditional Chinese foods for aflatoxin B1 detoxification: Geotrichum candidum XG1 (yeast) and mechanistic insights.

Identifying aflatoxin-detoxifying probiotics remains a significant challenge in mitigating the risks associated with aflatoxin contamination in crops. Biological detoxification is a popular technique that reduces mycotoxin hazards and garners consumer acceptance. Through multiple rounds of screening and validation tests, Geotrichum candidum XG1 demonstrated the ability to degrade aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by 99-100%, exceeding the capabilities of mere adsorption mechanisms. Notably, the degradation efficiency was demonstrably influenced by the presence of copper and iron ions in the liquid medium, suggesting a potential role for proteases in the degradation process. Subsequent validation experiments with red pepper revealed an 83% reduction in AFB1 levels following fermentation with G. candidum XG1. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the disruption of the AFB1 furan ring structure, leading to a subsequent reduction in its toxicity. Collectively, these findings establish G. candidum XG1 as a promising candidate for effective aflatoxin degradation, with potential applications within the food industry.

Plasmonic enzyme immunoassay via nanobody-driven controllable aggregation of gold nanoparticles for detection of ochratoxin A in pepper.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) in food poses a serious challenge to public health. Herein, using the nanobody-driven controllable aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in a glucose oxidase-tyramine-horseradish peroxidase (GOx-TYR-HRP) system, we propose a direct competitive plasmonic enzyme immunoassay (dc-PEIA) for OTA detection. The OTA-GOx conjugate catalyzes glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and then HRP catalyzes H2O2 to generate hydroxyl radical which induces the crosslink of TYR. Crosslinked TYR leads to aggregation of AuNPs through strong electrostatic interactions, which is tunable based on the competition of OTA-GOx and free OTA for binding the immobilized nanobody. The optimized dc-PEIA achieves an instrumental limit of detection (LOD) of 0.275 ng/mL and a visual LOD of 1.56 ng/mL. It exhibits good selectivity for OTA and accuracy in the analysis of pepper samples, with the confirmation of high-performance liquid chromatography. Overall, the dc-PEIA is demonstrated as a useful tool for detecting OTA in food.

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based genetic diversity profiling of chilli germplasm for fruit pungency and phytochemical contents.

Chilli peppers are widely consumed for their pungency, as used in flavoring the food and has many pharmaceutical and medicinal properties. Based on these properties an experiment was held using 83 varieties of chilli (Hot pepper and sweet pepper) were grown in suitable environment using Augment Block design and evaluated for fruit pungency and phytochemical contents using high proficiency liquid chromatography. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of traits showed highly significant for all traits except for fruit length and capsaicin contents. The value of Least significant increase (LSI)was ranged 0.27-1289.9 for all traits showed high variation among varieties. Highly significant correlation was found among fruit diameter to fruit weight 0.98, while moderate to high correlation was present among all traits. The most pungent genotype 24,634 was 4.8 g in weight, while the least pungent genotypes i.e. PPE-311 (32.8 g), green wonder (40.67) had higher in weight. The genotypes 24,627, 32,344, 32,368 and 1108 marked as higher number of seeds in their placental region. It was observed that chilli genotype 24,621 had maximum length with considerable high amount of pungency act as novel cultivar. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed the high variability of 46.97 for two PCs with the eigen value 2.6 and 1.63 was recorded. Biplot analysis showed a considerable variability for fruit pungency, while huge variability was found for all traits among given varieties. PPE-311, T5 and T3 are found as highly divergent for all traits. The findings of this study are instrumental for selecting parents to improve desirable traits in future chilli pepper breeding programs. It will help plant/vegetable breeders for development of highly nutrient and pungent varieties and attractive for the consumer of food sector.

Oral soluble shell prepared from OSA starch incorporated with tea polyphenols for the microencapsulation of Sichuan pepper oleoresin: Characterization, flavor stability, release mechanisms and its application in mooncake.

The market share of Sichuan pepper oleoresin (SPO) in the flavor industry is increasing steadily; however, its high volatility, low water solubility, and poor stability continue to pose significant challenges to application. The microencapsulation prepared by emulsion embedding and spray drying is considered as an effective technique to solve the above problems. Sodium octenyl succinate starch (OSA starch) and tea polyphenols (TPs) were used to develop OSA-TPs complex as encapsulants for SPO to prepare orally soluble microcapsules. And the optimum doping of TPs was determined. SPO microcapsules have good properties with high encapsulation efficiency up to 88.13 ± 1.48% and high payload up to 41.58 ± 1.86% with low water content and high heat resistance. The binding mechanism of OSA starch with TPs and its regulation mechanism and effect on SPOs were further analyzed and clarified. The binding mechanism between OSA starch and TPs was clarified in further analyses. The OSA-TPs complexes enhanced the rehydration, release in food matrix and storage stability of SPO, and exhibited good sensory immediacy. Flavor-improved mooncakes were successfully developed, achieving the combination of mooncake flavor and SPO flavor. This study provided a valuable way to prepare flavoring microcapsules suitable for the catering industry, opened up the combined application of SPO and bakery ingredients, and was of great practical value and significance for improving the processing quality of flavor foods, driving the development of the SPO industry, and enhancing the national dietary experience.

Transcriptome analysis integrated with changes in cell wall polysaccharides of different fresh-cut chili pepper cultivars during storage reveals the softening mechanism.

Cell wall disassembly and transcriptomic changes during storage of two fresh-cut chili pepper cultivars displaying contrasting softening rates were investigated. Results showed that Hangjiao No. 2 (HJ-2) softened more rapidly than Lafeng No. 3 (LF-3). Compared with LF-3, HJ-2 had a higher content of WSP, more side chains of RG-I in three pectin fractions, and higher activities of PME, PL, and ß-Gal at day-0. During storage, HJ-2 showed more markable pectin solubilization, more severe degradation in CSP and NSP, and greater loss of side chains from RG-I in three pectin fractions, which were correlated with increased activities of PG and α-L-Af. Furthermore, the higher up-regulation of PG (LOC107870605, LOC107851416) and α-L-Af (LOC107848776, LOC107856612) were screened in HJ-2. In conclusion, the different softening rate between cultivars was not only due to the fundamental differences in pectin structure but also pectin degradation regulated by related enzymes and gene expression levels.