Comparative study of bioactive, volatile and mineral compounds present in five different varietal groups of pepper Capsicum spp.

The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive comparison of five underexplored Brazilian Capsicum cultivars, Maria Bonita (MB), Dedo-de-moça (DM), Bode (BD), Malagueta (ML), and Habanero (HB), and highlight their distinct nutritional and bioactive profiles. It was to evaluate the physicochemical, bioactive, volatile, mineral and capsaicinoid qualities of the five different peppers. Maria Bonita, Bode and Habanero present different morphological and physicochemical characteristics due to genetic diversity. The cultivar DM presented the lowest value of L* (35.32) and chromaticity (41.52), indicating a darker color. The ML pepper obtained the lowest value of water content (70.43 g/100 g), consequently obtaining better results in the centesimal composition. The highest carotenoid contents were found for DM (1857.36 μg/g), BD (769.67 μg/g) and HB (774.49 μg/g) respectively. The cultivars differed significantly in terms of macrominerals and microminerals. Capsaicinoid levels did not differ for ML (120,403.69 SHU) and HB (128,086.00 SHU). The cultivars bode, malagueta and habanero stood out, presenting higher levels of bioactives, indicating a high potential for these peppers in functional foods and value-added applications, such as pharmaceutical and biotechnological.