Bioactive Profile, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activity of Sweet and Hot Peppers at Different Stages of Ripeness

The genus Capsicum is widely used worldwide for its culinary value and functional potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of sweet and hot pepper at different stages of ripeness. Six varieties of peppers at five stages of ripeness were analysed. Mineral parameters (Ca, Fe, Na, K, Mg) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, while bioactive compounds (vitamin C, organic acids, carotenoids, and phenols) were analysed by liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using ABTS and DPPH assays, and antimicrobial activity was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration against bacteria and yeasts. Multivariate analyses (PCA and heatmap) were carried out at a significance level of p < 0.05. The results showed that genotype was the main determinant of variability, surpassing the effect of ripeness. Potassium was the predominant mineral (3431.5 mg/100 g DW) in Malagueta chilli M5. Variety-specific peaks were identified, notably vitamin C in Habanero chilli (M3) (10,319.5 mg/100 g DW), capsaicin in Malagueta chilli (M5) (1949.8 mg/100 g DW), and carotenoids in Orange medium peppers (M5) (9495.8 mg/100 g DW). Antioxidant activity was higher in hot varieties (41.3 mmol ET/100 g DW in Habanero chilli (M2) by DPPH), while antimicrobial activity varied against Escherichia coli (2.6 mg/mL in Yellow medium peppers (M4)), Staphylococcus aureus (5.2 mg/mL in Orange medium pepper), and Streptococcus mutans (2.0 mg/mL in Jalapeño chilli), with low MIC values. Multivariate analyses confirmed that chemical and biological variability is primarily structured by genotype.