Ascorbic Acid, Soluble Solids and Dry Matter Content in Sweet Pepper Fruit: Change During Ripening

ABSTRACT The ascorbic acid, dry matter and soluble solids content of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit from two cultivars (‘P-14’ and ‘Florinis’) were determined at the immature, commercially mature and physiologically mature stages of ripening. The ascorbic acid content in fruits of ‘P-14’ increased with ripening, while in fruits of ‘Florinis’ it showed an increase only at the commercially mature stage of ripening. The dry matter content in fruit of ‘P-14’ varied little from the immature to the commercially mature stages of ripening, while a large increase was observed at the physiologically mature stage of ripening. Fruit of ‘Florinis’ showed an increase in dry matter content at the commercially mature stage of ripening, while at the physiologically mature stage it varied with harvest date. The soluble solids content in fruit of ‘P-14’ increased with ripening. In contrast with ‘P-14’, fruit of ‘Florinis’ showed an increase in soluble solids content at the commercially mature stage of ripening, while at the physiologically mature stage it varied with harvest date. In both cultivars, the maturation and ripening related changes in ascorbic acid was positively correlated with the changes in dry matter and the soluble solids.