Varietal influence on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in chilies during development stages

Numerous cultivars of chili are grown in Bangladesh for their nutritional and sensory attributes, serving as both spices and food items. Among many, indigenous chili cultivars in Bangladesh include Sada Akshi, Kajini, Dhani, and Naga are the important ones. The functional qualities of chili peppers are attributed to the plentiful presence of bioactive substances. Consequently, this study aimed to determine the variations in bioactive compounds, antioxidant activities, and hotness among the pre-mature, mature, pre-ripening, and ripening stages of four distinct chili cultivars. Four different cultivars of chilis at four different maturity stages were collected and analyzed for their antioxidant and bioactive profiles. The findings of the research revealed that all chili varieties exhibited a notable range of vitamin C concentration, ranging from 1.67 to 8.45 mg/g FW during the maturity stages. The values of TPC, TFC, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll a and b ranged from 16.68 to 46.76 mg GAE/g, 2.80–8.53 mg QE/g, 4.31–85.79 μg/g DW, 2.83–15.54 and 0.74–5.66 μg/g DW on a dry weight basis, respectively. The antioxidant activity was assessed using the FRAP and the DPPH scavenging assay and the values ranged from 142.62 to 311.03 mM Fe (II) Equivalent/100g DW and 216.36–329.52 μM Trolox Equivalent/g DW, respectively. The content of vitamin C, TPC, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll b was increased with the stages of development. The hotness of chili also increased with the development stages. However, the antioxidant activity fluctuated during the development stages of chili. Furthermore, the study incorporated the evaluation of physical parameters, such as height, weight, and color attributes concerning chilies. The Naga variety of chili demonstrated the highest level of efficacy when compared to other varieties. The nutritional and physicochemical information of the different cultivars of chili in this study might be useful to the breeders, spice processors, and consumers for desired size, taste, and hotness with health-promoting bioactive compounds, eventually for determining the harvest time. •Chili varieties were analyzed for bioactive compounds with the stage of development.•Bioactive compounds increased with the stage of development of chili.•The pre-ripening stage was rich in bioactive compounds, making it ideal for consumption.•All Chili varieties exhibited significant bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity.