Characterization, processing potential and drivers for preference of pepper cultivars in the production of sweet or spicy jellies

Due to the importance of studying alternatives to reduce pepper post-harvest loss and verify the processing potential of the several cultivars/varieties available, the objective of this study was to characterize common peppers in Brazil, and to evaluate their potential for further processing into jelly form. More specifically, the most-consumed species and varieties in Brazil were investigated, that is: Habanero, Cheiro do Norte, Biquinho, Malagueta, Cayenne, Paprika and Dedo de Moça. Additionally, the drivers of liking for pepper jelly were sought so as to understand the desirable characteristics of this product. The different peppers were initially assessed by the following physical and physicochemical analyses: length, diameter, unit mass, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, pH, color, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and vitamin C levels. Jellies made with different pepper types were also analyzed for total titratable acidity, pH, color, and texture profile, and a sensory study was conducted to elucidate the drivers of liking. As expected, different pepper types varied in physical and physicochemical properties, and the resulting jellies also differed in terms of physical, physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics. In general, less pungent peppers (Biquinho, Paprika and Cheiro do Norte) were the most suitable for processing to produce jellies with more desirable attributes for consumers: reddish color, characteristic flavor and aroma of a pepper, sweet taste, and low pungency.