Comparative study of antioxidant effects of five Korean varieties red pepper (Capsicum annuum L) extracts from various parts including placenta, stalk, and pericarp

Methanol extracts from the placenta, stalk, and pricarp of 5 Korean varieties red pepper (Capsicum annuum L) were obtained and antioxidant constituents including total phenol, total flavonoids, and capsaicin were analyzed. Antioxidant effects were determined by ABTS, DPPH, and nitric oxide (NO) free radicals scavenging activities and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. All the extracts showed strong antioxidant activities in various bioassays. Chromatic parameters (L*, a*, b*, C*, and Ho) were responsible for the antioxidant capacity of red pepper pericarp extracts. Generally, stalk been considered as disposable part, exhibited not only strong scavenging activities against free radicals, but also high content of total phenols, total flavonoids, and capsaicin. In addition, positive correlations were also observed between antioxidant activities and constituents of phenolics, flavonoids, and capsaicin. It was concluded that red pepper, including stalk, can be functional food materials to enhance human health.     

Antioxidant activities of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) pericarp and seed extracts

In this study, we examined the antioxidant activities of red pepper (Capsicum annuum, L.) pericarp and red pepper seed extracts. The extracts were evaluated by various antioxidant assays, including 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, [2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid)] (ABTS) radical scavenging, ferrous chelating activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reducing power, along with the determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents. All the extracts showed strong antioxidant activity by the testing methods. The red pepper pericarp extract exhibited strong ferrous chelating activity and high scavenging activity against free radicals, including both the hydroxyl and DPPH radicals, but it exhibited weaker scavenging activity for the superoxide anion radical and for SOD. In contrast, the red pepper seed extract exhibited strong SOD activity and high scavenging activity against the superoxide anion radical, but showed weaker ferrous chelating activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and DPPH radical scavenging. We observed that the reducing power level and ABTS radical scavenging activity of the red pepper seed were higher than those of the red pepper pericarp at the highest tested concentration. Most of the test results for the red pepper seed and red pepper pericarp extracts increased markedly with increasing concentration; however, the metal chelating, SOD and ABTS radical scavenging activities did not increase with the concentration. Highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were obtained from the red pepper pericarp extracts. Overall, the red pepper seed and red pepper pericarp extracts were highly effective for the antioxidant properties assayed, with the exceptions of ferrous chelating activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging and SOD activity.     

Identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in kernels,oil and bagasse pellets of common walnut (Juglans regia L.)

Individual phenolic compounds, total phenolic content and antioxidant potential were assessed in kernels, oils and bagasse pellets (residues of oil pressing) of different walnut cultivars. Twenty-seven phenolic compounds were detected in kernels and pellets conducting high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The main polyphenolic subclass comprised hydrolysable tannins, which accounted approximately 60.80% (kernels) and 61.66% (pellets) of the total phenolics identified (TPI). Walnut oil was poor in phenolics and contained only six different compounds but due to their low content (from 0.15 to 1.44 μg g^− 1) just two compounds have been identified. Glansreginin A and glansreginin B were detected in all analyzed walnut products. A comparison of average amount of total phenolic content revealed that walnut oil contains as much as 154 fold less phenolics (0.05 mg GAE g^− 1 FW) compared to kernels (7.7 mg GAE g^− 1 FW) or pellets (7.9 mg GAE g^− 1 FW).     

Bioactive characteristics and antioxidant activities of nine peppers

The contents of bioactive compounds (Vitamin C (Vc), carotenoids, total phenolics, phenolic profiles and capsaicinoids) and antioxidant activities (reducing power, DPPH-scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition ability) of nine peppers from Yunnan province China, belonging to seven cultivars, were determined. Red and green Point pepper/Long-point pepper were from the same cultivars at different maturity stages. Results showed that all fresh pepper samples were rich in Vc, carotenoids, and total phenolics. Vc contents varied mainly depending on the pepper cultivars, except for the ripened stages. The phenolic content in red Fructus Capsici (Capsium frutescens L.) was significantly higher than that of others (Capsium annuum L.) (p < 0.05). Seven phenolics were identified in four pepper samples, while six phenolics were detected in other samples. The capsaicinoid contents of nine peppers showed a large variability, and the content in red Fructus Capsici was significantly higher than that of others (p < 0.05). The extracts of nine peppers showed high reducing power, DPPH-scavenging activity, and lipid peroxidation inhibition ability, and the activities of Fructus Capsici were significantly stronger than those of others (p < 0.05). Furthermore, antioxidant activities of nine peppers correlated well with their total phenolic contents.     

Phenolic composition,antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of free and bound phenolic extracts of Moringa oleifera seed flour

Phenolic compounds, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of defatted Moringa oleifera seed flour (DMF) were investigated. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured using colorimetric methods. Free phenolic acid and flavonoid profiles were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, while antioxidant capacities were evaluated using scavenging assays of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power and total antioxidant capacity. The results showed that extractability of phenolic compounds was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in bound phenolic extract (4173.00 ± 32.22 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g) than in free phenolic extract (780.00 ± 14.2 mg GAE/100 g) and it showed higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The IC₅₀ value for DPPH radical scavenging activity was 0.9 ± 0.05 and 14.9 ± 0.07 mg/mL for bound phenolic and free phenolic extracts, respectively. Bound phenolic extract was more effective (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), 0.06–0.157%) than free phenolic extract (MIC, 0.117–0.191%) against tested bacteria. Ten phenolic compounds (gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid, cinnamic acid, catechin, epicatechin, vanillin and quercetin) were identified and quantified in both extracts. These natural plant phenolics from Moringa seeds could be a good source of antioxidants and antibacterials for food and pharmaceutical industries.     

Adaptability of some French red grape varieties cultivated at two different Portuguese terroirs: Comparative analysis with two Portuguese red grape varieties using physicochemical and phenolic parameters

In the last year's, several French grape varieties have been introduced in different world wine regions, increasing their representation in the world. Consequently, it is important to analyze the adaptability of several red grape varieties from French origin to the other specific ‘terroirs’ and compare their characteristics with native grape varieties. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and phenolic composition of five French red grape varieties and two Portuguese red grape varieties grown at two different Portuguese wine regions. In general, French (except ‘Alicante Bouschet’ grape variety) and Portuguese red grape varieties collected in the vineyard located in ‘Dão’ wine region had higher positive physicochemical characteristics, especially for estimated alcohol degree and titratable acidity. Regarding the phenolic composition, French grape varieties showed significantly higher values of total phenols and flavonoid compounds, especially for the grape samples collected in the vineyard located in ‘Dão’ region. Thus, for example ‘Alicante Bouschet’ grape variety showed the highest values for total phenolic (global average value from 0.636 to 0.894 mg g^− 1 of berry) and flavonoid compounds (global average value from 0.584 to 0.834 mg g^− 1 of berry). However, for total anthocyanins it was clear that the two Portuguese grape varieties studied (‘Touriga Nacional’ and ‘Tinta Roriz’) showed significantly highest values independently of the wine region considered (global average value ranged from 0.603 to 0.785 mg g^− 1 of berry). Similar tendency was also confirmed by significantly highest global average values for the sum of the glycosylated derivatives, where the values ranged from 0.389 to 0.539 mg g^− 1 of berry, for the two Portuguese grape varieties considered.     

Drying studies of sorghum for forage and biomass production

Test plots of sorghum were planted and cut at maturity. Natural drying of the cut material was monitored in the field. Laboratory drying tests were conducted to determine the drying kinetics of the stalks under four different configurations at 50 °C and 0.5 m/s air velocity. These included: 20 cm long sections with sealed ends to duplicate stalks of infinite length and remove “end effects”; 20 cm long sections with open ends to account for “end effects”; and 20 cm sections with longitudinal splitting to remove the effects of the outer layer of the stalks. In addition, short sections (5 cm) were dried to determine the impact of enhanced “end effects” on drying. Mathematical models were derived from replicate laboratory trials and were used to predict the times required to reach a final moisture content of 10% (wet basis). These times ranged from over 200 hours with the sealed ends to 15 hours with splitting of the stalks to expose the interior fully to the drying medium. Field drying of cut sorghum was found to be insufficient to adequately dry these materials for storage or use in energy production, especially under wet-weather conditions. Laboratory tests showed the need for substantial disruption of the stalk surface to promote drying. This can be achieved through mechanical maceration of the stalks. Simply cutting the stalks at ground level and relying upon open-air drying did not reduce the moisture content to acceptable levels for animal feed or energy production.     

Use of postharvest UV-B and UV-C radiation treatments to revalorize broccoli byproducts and edible florets

UV-B radiation (5, 10 and 15 kJ m^− 2) treatments, single or combined with UV-C (9 kJ m^− 2), were hereby firstly studied as bioprocessing tools to enhance bioactive compounds of broccoli byproducts (leaves and stalks) compared to edible florets during storage (72 h/15 °C). Leaves showed similar total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (TAC) than florets, and 2.5/14.5 higher glucoraphanin/glucobrassicin contents than florets. UV increased initial TPC and TAC of leaves/stalks up to 31–97/30–75 and 20–120/170–420%, respectively. UV-B10 + C induced the highest TPC increase (110%) in leaves while UV-B10 and UV-B10 + C led to the highest TPC of stalks after 48 h. UV-B10 + C increased (34%) glucobrassicin levels of leaves while UV-B15 and UV-B15 + C induced the highest glucoraphanin levels (131 and 117 mg kg^− 1) in florets after 72 h. Conclusively, single or combined postharvest UV-B and UV-C treatments can revalorize such agricultural byproducts and also add value to edible broccoli parts.Industrial relevanceThis work demonstrates the high potential of the use of postharvest treatments with UV-B and UV-C, optimized as single or combined treatments, to be used as bioprocessing tools to enhance the bioactive compounds of broccoli byproducts (leaves and stalks) being compared to edible florets. Thought this innovative application of this technology such agricultural wastes may be highly revalorized with a cheap technology leading to high production of health-promoting compounds with such eco-sustainable technology whose benefits can be even reach to the pharmaceutical industry.     

Pasteurization of fermented red pepper paste by ohmic heating

Ohmic heating was applied to a Korean traditional fermented food containing red pepper paste, called Gochujang with low thermal conductivity (0.458 W/m ∙ K), by varying frequencies (40–20,000 Hz) and applied voltages (20–60 V). Contrary to conduction heating, the entire sample was heated uniformly, and the specific heating rate was found to be highly dependent on the frequency, peaking at 5 kHz and 60 V. The results showed that complex differential equation and the Runge–Kutta fourth-order method are suitable for simulating the temperature profile during ohmic heating. The deactivation of vegetable cells of Bacillus strains on fermented red pepper paste by ohmic heating was indicated by a 99.7% reduction, compared with conduction heating for 8 min at 100 °C producing a 81.9% reduction. The organoleptic and physicochemical qualities of the samples pasteurized by ohmic heating were nearly the same as those of raw samples, and higher than those of conventionally heated samples.Industrial relevanceThe present study designed and implemented a novel sterilization process based on a static ohmic heating system with low-frequency AC at the laboratory scale for fermented red pepper paste with a low thermal conductivity (0.458 W/m ∙ K).The developed system was used to investigate the mechanisms and characteristics underlying the induction of ohmic heating and then, tested the pasteurization effect against microorganisms in fermented red pepper paste.Comparing with conventional heating processes, ohmic heating could provide rapid and uniform heating, thereby is more suitable for pasteurization and sterilization of viscous foods as fermented red pepper paste on industrial thermal processing.     

HPLC-MSn identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in hazelnut kernels,oil and bagasse pellets

The paper reports the phenolic content of kernels, bagasse pellets (residue of oil pressing) and oils from five different cultivars and a mix of cultivars. Phenolic compounds were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Two compounds, glansreginin A and glansreginin B, were detected for the first time in hazelnuts. The main polyphenolic subclass comprised of mono- and oligomeric flavan 3-ols, which accounted between 34.2 and 58.3% in hazelnut kernels and between 36.7 and 48.6% in pellets of the total phenolics detected. In hazelnut oils four compounds have been detected, their content levels ranged from 0.97 to 0.01 μg g^− 1. Total phenolic content ranged from 491.2 to 1700.4 mg GAE kg^− 1 in kernels, from 848.4 to 1148.5 mg GAE kg^− 1 in pellets and only from 0.14 to 0.25 mg GAE g^− 1 in oils. The percentage of radical scavenging activity ranged from 60.0 to 96.4% for kernels, 63.0 to 73.2% for pellets and from 17.7 to 29.9% for oil. The study provides clear evidence on high phenolic contents and similarly high antioxidant potential of hazelnut kernels and bagasse pellets. The latter could be used as ingredients in cooking and baking or even for production of plant-based pharmaceuticals.     

Development and validation of a LC-ESI-MS/MS method for the determination of phenolic compounds in honeydew honeys with the diluted-and-shoot approach

A simple, reproducible and sensitive method has been optimized and validated for simultaneous determination of 32 phenolic compounds in bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Benth.) with the diluted-and-shoot approach, without the need of any additional clean-up steps. It has been based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The chromatography conditions were optimized, and due to the selectivity provided by MRM monitoring, LC separation required only 9 min. The developed method was validated on the basis of Eurachem and European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC guidelines. Mean recoveries ranged from 70.4 to 110%. Intra-day and inter-day precision with RSD (relative standard deviations) from 0.14 to 18.9% and 0.34 to 20.0%, respectively were achieved. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.03 to 3.20 μg L^− 1 and 0.20–12.8 μg L^− 1. Finally, the method was applied to samples and 20 phenolic compounds were quantified in all the samples analyzed, representing a contribution to the characterization and quantification of phenolic compounds from bracatinga (M. scabrella Bentham) honeydew honey.     

Simultaneous determination of anthocyanins,coumarins and phenolic acids in fruits,kernels and liqueur of Prunus mahaleb L

In the fresh tissues of Prunus mahaleb L., three classes of phenolics were characterised: phenolic acid derivatives (main compound being o-coumaric acid glucoside), quercetin glycosides, and anthocyanins (cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, cyanidin 3-sambubioside, cyanidin 3-xylosyl-rutinoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside). Coumarin was also identified. The kernels showed a high content of coumarin (0.87 mg g^?1) which is the main class of metabolites in this sample, but present in pitted berries as well (0.63 mg g^?1). Flavonoids are mainly concentrated in the skin and pulp (0.55 mg g^?1). In ‘Mirinello di Torremaggiore’ liqueur, produced from P. mahaleb L. in accordance with traditional procedures, anthocyanins make up 16.5%, phenolic acids 43.3%, coumarin 36.2% and flavonoids 4% of total compounds. Anthocyanins are the main class in solid residues from liqueur production (70%). These findings point out that solid residues of P. mahaleb can be considered an interesting and innovative source of appreciable amounts of cyanidin glycosides (3.3 mg g^?1).     

Evaluation and improvement of antioxidant and antibacterial activities of supercritical extracts from clove buds

For the first time, extracts from clove buds obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction were screened for antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Additionally, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extracts obtained by the supercritical extraction of the clove bud–oregano leaf mixtures were studied. Supercritical extract of pure clove had the highest eugenol (64%) and total phenolic content (530.56 mg GAE/g_extract). All extracts had antioxidant activity comparable to synthetic antioxidants against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and formation of peroxides. Presence of 0.6% and 5% of oregano extract in the clove extracts obtained from the clove–oregano plant mixtures improved their antioxidant activity with respect to the extract from pure clove. Clove extract showed moderate antibacterial activities against selected Staphylococcus and Enterococcus bacterial strains. Presence of 50% of the oregano extract improved antibacterial activity of clove extract against all tested strains and resulted in a synergistic antibacterial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus strain (MIC ? 1.25 μg/mL). Study demonstrated great potential of supercritical clove extract as natural functional ingredient and the possibility of increasing its antioxidant and antibacterial efficiencies in order to apply lower concentrations and to reduce undesirable flavour notes and toxicological effects in final products.     

Promotion of anti-keyhole limpet hemocyanin IgM and IgG antibody productions in vitro by red bell pepper extract

Red bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), eaten as vegetables, is a rich source of vitamin C and E, provitamin A, β-carotene, and numerous phenolic compounds. Its antioxidant, anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties have been reported. However, scientific report on its immunomodulatory activities is scarce. We, for the first time, reported the promotion of polyclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) M production by red bell pepper extract (RBPE). The present study was aimed to investigate the activity of RBPE on keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-specific IgM and IgG antibody productions in vitro. Anti-KLH antibodies, anti-KLH IgM secreting cells, and viable cells were determined by ELISA, ELISPOT and MTT assays, respectively. RBPE (0.75 and 1.5 mg/mL) significantly enhanced the production of anti-KLH IgM in cultured splenocytes of non-immunized (189 and 184%, respectively) and immunized mice (145% at 1.5 mg/mL). The same doses promoted the formation of anti-KLH IgM secreting cells 185 and 232%, respectively. Moreover, RBPE (0.375 mg/mL) augmented anti-KLH IgG production by 145 and 157% in cultured splenocytes collected from mice 1 and 3 weeks after a booster injection. Thus, RBPE induced KLH-specific antibody productions. The findings of the present study suggest that consumption of RBPE or vegetables may be beneficial to strengthen humoral immune responses.     

Phenolic and aroma compositions of pitomba fruit (Talisia esculenta Radlk.) assessed by LC–MS/MS and HS-SPME/GC–MS

Pitomba (Talisia esculenta Radlk.) is a Brazilian exotic fruit consumed specially in the Amazonian region. Because of its large consumption and also due to the lack of knowledge regarding its chemical composition, pitomba fruit was studied in relation to its phenolic and aroma constitution. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), 13 phenolic compounds (catechins, flavonoids and organic acids) were tentatively identified by comparison with standards and by fragmentation patterns. A validated method was applied to quantify common phenolic compounds of the pitomba pulp, for which quinic acid was the main compound (507.8 ± 7.4 μg g^− 1 DWP). Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed along with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) to assess the aroma composition of pitomba fruit. A total of 27 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were tentatively identified for pitomba fruit, for which 2-phenethyl acetate (17.89%) and isopentyl acetate (13.43%) esters were the main VOCs, contributing to the characteristic aroma of pitomba. The antioxidant capacity of the extract of pitomba fruit was evaluated by ABTS, DPPH and ORAC assays. We observed that pitomba has a moderate antioxidant activity.     

Citharexylum solanaceum fruit extracts: Profiles of phenolic compounds and carotenoids and their relation with ROS and RNS scavenging capacities

Citharexylum solanaceum is a native fruit from Brazil, which both bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential were not yet investigated. Thus, the freeze-dried extracts of seed and pulp + skin of C. solanaceum fruits were obtained after solid-liquid extraction with ethanol and their bioactive compounds composition, namely phenolic compounds and carotenoids, were determined. The antioxidant capacity of both extracts against physiologically relevant reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) was further investigated. Both C. solanaceum extracts showed high contents of phenolic compounds; however, pulp + skin extract presented 2.4-times more phenolic compounds (33.54 mg/g) than the seed extract (14.09 mg/g). Verbascoside (phenylpropanoid) was the major compound identified in both extracts (11–25 mg/g). Regarding the carotenoid composition, all-trans-lutein (14–42 μg/g) and all-trans-β-carotene (13–44 μg/g) were the major compounds in both extracts. The high content of phenolic compounds and carotenoids in pulp + skin extract might explain its higher scavenging capacity against all the ROS/RNS as compared to seed extract. In general, both extracts showed better scavenging capacity for the RNS than for the ROS. Our results indicate that C. solanaceum fruits can be explored as an important natural source of antioxidant compounds.     

Comparative Studies of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and West African Black Pepper (Piper guineense) Extracts at Different Concentrations on the Microbial Quality of Soymilk and Kunun-zaki

Extracts of two spices, namely ginger (Zingiber officinale) and black pepper (Piper guineense) were prepared in 0.4%, 1.2%, 2.4% and 3.6% concentrations. Soymilk and kunun-zaki were treated respectively with the different concentrations and stored at ambient temperature for 5 days. The microbial load and identification were determined every day of storage until samples were adjudged spoilt.On the first day, 0.4% ginger extract in soymilk and kunun-zaki had a microbial load of 7.77 × 10^6b and 5.17 × 10^6b respectively. 3.6% ginger extract in soymilk and kunun-zaki recorded 3.73 × 10^6b and 3.30 × 106 each. 0.4% black pepper extract in soymilk had 6.273 × 10^6b and recorded 4.63 × 10^6b in kunun-zaki. 3.6% black pepper extract in soymilk and kunun-zaki had a microbial load of 3.20 × 10^6d and 2.90 × 10^6c respectively. On the third day the microbial load increased for both ginger and black pepper extract. Ginger extract recorded 9.13 × 10^6b in soymilk and 5.60 × 10^6b in kunun-zaki at 0.4% concentration. Black pepper extracts recorded 7.43 × 10^6b in soymilk and 3.27 × 10^6b in kunun-zaki also at 0.4% extract. 3.6% black pepper extract recorded 4.10 × 10^6a in soymilk and 2.20 × 106c in kunun-zaki.There was linear reduction of microbial load as spice concentration increased. Black pepper recorded lower microbial load, thus having more antimicrobial activity and may be preferred to be used as natural antimicrobial preservatives to extend the shelf-life of food.     

Determination of phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of native red wines by high performance liquid chromatography and spectrophotometric methods

A reversed-phase high performance chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of 14 phenolic compounds in native red wines was developed in this study. The identified compounds contained gallic acid, (+)-catechin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, (?)-epicatechin, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, resveratrol, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol. The method includes liquid–liquid extraction of acidic pH with ethylacetate. The analysis used a Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 column (5 μm, 4.6 mm × 250 mm). The chromatographic separation of these compounds performed in a single run by using the mobile phase gradient elution of methanol water mixture (% 0.2 formic acid) at room temperature, with flow rate at 1 mL/min. Detection was carried out by UV–vis and fluorescence detector. Each analysis required an equilibration period of 10 min and a run time of 14 min for completion. The optimized chromatographic method was carefully validated for precision and accuracy. Our findings indicated that the developed HPLC method was precise, accurate, specific and sensitive for simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds. Consequently, the described method was applied to the analysis of six wines from Malatya and Elaz??. Gallic acid was dominant phenolic acid in red wines. (+)-catechin, (?)-epicatechin and p-coumaric acid were the next most abundant phenolics. The highest level of trans-resveratrol among the red wines was found Buzba?? (Bogazkere–Öküzgözü). The red wines were analyzed for total polyphenol content (TP) by Folin–Ciocalteu (FC) method, using gallic acid as standard. Antioxidant activities (AA) of the red wines were measured using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. There was a very high correlation between AA and TP in all of the wines tested.     

Physical Properties of Climbing Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) and Alligator Pepper (Aframomum melanguata) as Affected by Dehydration

This study was conducted to determine effect of drying temperature and duration on selected physical properties of climbing black pepper (Piper nigrum) and alligator pepper (Aframomum melanguata) using response surface approach. Drying temperature (55.86, 60, 70, 80, 84.14 °C) and duration (2.59, 3, 4, 5, 5.414 hours) were variables while size (length, breadth, thickness), mass, sphericity, aspect ratio, moisture content, moisture loss, colour and bulk density were responses. Mass, density and moisture loss of climbing pepper were significantly affected by drying temperature and duration at 5% level of significance. Other climbing pepper physical properties under study were not influenced significantly. All alligator pepper properties considered were not significant (p > 0.05). Climbing pepper mass, density and moisture loss varied between 1.55 to 6.37 g, 0.17 to 0.59 g/ml and 31.1 to 84.0% respectively.