Carotenoid metabolism during the slow drying of pepper fruits of the Agridulce variety

During the industrial drying of peppers of the Agridulce variety, the changes that occur in the concentration of the pigments cannot be explained using one single kinetic pattern that considers only degradation, since both decreases and increases in the pigment concentration occur simultaneously, suggesting a metabolic modulation. Monitoring the effects of the process is carried out using a model system, introducing, as an additional variable, the presence or absence of light. The patterns of change in the concentration of the pigments during drying of fruits in the light and in darkness are similar and can be divided into three phases. In the first phase, there is a metabolic decrease in the pigment content of the fruits. In the second phase, there is an increase in pigment concentration, although this phase does not compensate for the losses in the first phase. This lack of compensation means that there are changes in the concentrations of the pigments found in the fresh fruit. After these metabolically induced changes, there is a third, degradative, phase promoted by external factors. This phase occurs from the very beginning of drying, although its effect, even when photodegradative reactions are induced, is only evident when metabolic activity has ceased in the fruit