PHENOLIC, CAROTENOID, ASCORBIC ACID CONTENTS AND THEIR ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES IN BELL PEPPER

Essential nutritional components are quantified in the study in addition to major antioxidants, carotenoids, phenols and flavonoids. Their antioxidant activities were also analyzed using DPPH, ABTS and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activities and by determining their iron reducing power. Results indicated that the highest quantity of nutritional and antioxidant components was obtained in red variety (4.63 mg/g ascorbic acid, 10.32 mg/g total carotenoid content, 61.50 mg/g total flavonoid content, 310.27 mg/g total phenolic content) followed by orange, yellow and green varieties. Similar trend was observed while analyzing their antioxidant activities by different methods. In studying correlation between components and antioxidant activity, a strong correlation was obtained for ABTS radical scavenging activity with total phenolic content (R-2 = 0.722) and total carotenoid contents (R-2 = 0.709), while moderate correlation was observed for ABTS radical scavenging activity with total flavonoid contents (R-2 = 0.517) and ascorbic acid (R-2 = 0.673).