Nutritional Attributes and Effect of Processing on Peruvian Chili Peppers

Soriano E.M.; Ugás R. · Native Crops in Latin America: Biochemical, Processing, and Nutraceutical Aspects (2022) · DOI: 10.1201/9781003087618-6

Resumen

Peru is one of the centers of origin of chili peppers and has the highest diversity of cultivated chili peppers worldwide and the oldest archaeological records for these crops. They have a role in cultural traditions and are at the center of a dynamic process linking food systems, an active gastronomic movement, and smallholders. More than 200 landraces are grown in the country, offering a broad range of sensorial attributes, expressed by differences in color, size, shape, taste, pungency level, and aroma. These attributes are also related with nutritional properties, making the high diversity of Peruvian chili peppers an important source of healthy compounds such as capsaicinoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, or fiber. The importance of this knowledge is to promote new chili pepper–based products with high nutritional value. This chapter presents an overview of the diversity of chili peppers in Peru and their main nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics. The effect of processing on these attributes is also discussed.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina