Comparative analysis of developmental changes of fruit metabolites, antioxidant activities and mineral elements content in Bhut jolokia and other Capsicum species

Abstract Humans are directly or indirectly dependent on plant foods for their nutritional health. Hence it is important to characterize the macro and micro nutrients and mineral-elements of commonly consumed dietary vegetables like Capsicum (Chilli). In the present study global metabolites, total ascorbic acid, phenols, flavonoids, capsaicinoids, mineral-elements and antioxidant activities were determined on different developmental stages of Capsicum fruits (immature, breaker and mature) belonging to three Capsicum species namely Capsicum chinense , C. frutescens , and C. annuum . The results obtained from the present study showed the maturity dependent increase in the sugar and fatty acid metabolites, capsaicinoids, ascorbic acid and phenol content, and antioxidant activities. Similarly, essential mineral-elements also increased during the fruit maturation in C. chinense , however, contrasting results was observed in C. annuum . In addition to that some health beneficial compounds such as antibacterial and antifungal metabolites exclusively observed in matured C. chinense . These interesting observations have opened the possibility to understand and manipulate biosynthesis of macro/micronutrients and mineral elements in order to improve nutritional quality of Capsicum (Chilli) species.