A mathematical model for colour loss in paprikas containing differing proportions of seed

In this paper a general kinetic model for predicting the colour of paprikas with differing proportions of seed as a function of the storage conditions is developed. We apply this model to study the effect of time and storage conditions on colour loss in paprikas made from the same pepper variety, Ocal, but with differing proportions of seed. The agreement between the experimental colour data for this paprika and the results predicted by the mathematical model is very good. Both the model and the experimental data show that the rate of colour loss decreases with increasing proportion of seed, and after a determined inversion time the samples with the lowest initial colour values actually show the highest values. Likewise, the experimental data show that for a given proportion of seed the colour loss decreases as the storage relative humidity increases. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry.