Ground Red Peppers:  Capsaicinoids Content, Scoville Scores, and Discrimination by an Electronic Nose

High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and total capsaicinoids levels of different ground red pepper samples obtained from local retail markets in İzmir, Turkey. Scoville scores were determined using sensory tests. An electronic nose (EN) was used to discriminate ground red pepper samples by headspace volatiles. EN data were analyzed using discriminant function analysis (DFA). An overall correct classification rate of pepper varieties by EN of 91% was obtained. A linear correlation between capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and total capsaicinoids and Scoville scores was also observed, and R 2 values of 0.89, 0.85, and 0.91 were obtained, respectively. Keywords: Capsaicin; dihydrocapsaicin; pungency; Scoville score; electronic nose