Simultaneous quantification of capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid from pungent peppers

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Simultaneous extraction and determination of bioactive molecules from natural sources is increasingly important.
• Peppers are a rich source of bioactive compounds like capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid, requiring efficient analytical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a reproducible method for the simultaneous extraction and quantification of capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid in peppers.
• To optimize extraction conditions and chromatographic separation for these compounds.

Main Methods:

• Extraction using a 3% metaphosphoric acid-ethanol solvent (2:8 ratio) with 30 minutes of sonication.
• Simultaneous separation using a Gemini C18 column with gradient elution (0.03M phosphoric acid and methanol).
• Detection of capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid at 282 nm and 254 nm, respectively.

Main Results:

• Optimized extraction yielded 412.61 µg/g capsaicinoids and 2,785.93 µg/g ascorbic acid.
• High recovery rates: 96.21–108.71% for capsaicinoids and 97.01–98.83% for ascorbic acid.
• Low limits of detection (0.21–0.26 µg) and high reproducibility (RSD < 3%).

Conclusions:

• The developed method allows for the simultaneous, reproducible separation and quantification of capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid from peppers.
• This method provides a reliable tool for analyzing these important bioactive compounds in pepper matrices.
• The findings contribute to advancements in natural product analysis and quality control.