Index of carotenoids of bell nemer (Capsicum annuum) based on color measurement, using hyperspectral and digital images

The objective of the study was to evaluate non-destructive methods based on the measurement of color at five degrees of maturity (100% green (M1), 10 - 30% maturity (M2), 40% to 60% maturity (M3), 70% to 90% maturity (M4) and 100% mature (M5) bell pepper by using hyperspectral images in visible range (Vis) from 380 to 750 nm (37 spectral bands) and digital images (RGB) and its conversion to space of CIELAB color. The peppers were collected in different degrees of maturity from green to red completely, the quality parameters of chlorophyll and total carotenoids was determined by spectrophotometric method and its content was correlated with spectral and color space data CIELAB. The spectral index (CRI700) showed a positive correlation of 0.915 (p < 0.01) with respect to the content of carotenoids and a negative correlation of -0.972 with respect to the content of chlorophyll and variable a * (green-red) with the content of carotenoids showed a positive correlation of 0.949 (p < 0.01) and negative correlation of -0.968 with chlorophyll. Concluding that these methods would allow to analyze intact samples of red pepper in different degrees of maturity.