RESUMEN
Numerous cultivars of chili are grown in Bangladesh for their nutritional and sensory attributes, serving as both spices and food items. Among many, indigenous chili cultivars in Bangladesh include Sada Akshi, Kajini, Dhani, and Naga are the important ones. The functional qualities of chili peppers are attributed to the plentiful presence of bioactive substances. Consequently, this study aimed to determine the variations in bioactive compounds, antioxidant activities, and hotness among the pre-mature, mature, pre-ripening, and ripening stages of four distinct chili cultivars. Four different cultivars of chilis at four different maturity stages were collected and analyzed for their antioxidant and bioactive profiles. The findings of the research revealed that all chili varieties exhibited a notable range of vitamin C concentration, ranging from 1.67 to 8.45 mg/g FW during the maturity stages. The values of TPC, TFC, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll a and b ranged from 16.68 to 46.76 mg GAE/g, 2.80-8.53 mg QE/g, 4.31-85.79 µg/g DW, 2.83-15.54 and 0.74-5.66 µg/g DW on a dry weight basis, respectively. The antioxidant activity was assessed using the FRAP and the DPPH scavenging assay and the values ranged from 142.62 to 311.03 mM Fe (II) Equivalent/100g DW and 216.36-329.52 µM Trolox Equivalent/g DW, respectively. The content of vitamin C, TPC, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll b was increased with the stages of development. The hotness of chili also increased with the development stages. However, the antioxidant activity fluctuated during the development stages of chili. Furthermore, the study incorporated the evaluation of physical parameters, such as height, weight, and color attributes concerning chilies. The Naga variety of chili demonstrated the highest level of efficacy when compared to other varieties. The nutritional and physicochemical information of the different cultivars of chili in this study might be useful to the breeders, spice processors, and consumers for desired size, taste, and hotness with health-promoting bioactive compounds, eventually for determining the harvest time.
RESUMEN
This research investigated the impact of enriching bread with banana peel powder (BPP) on nutritional attributes, bioactive components, antioxidant activity, and sensory characteristics. Four bread samples were prepared and evaluated: S1 (control), S2 (5% BPP), S3 (7% BPP), and S4 (10% BPP). The addition of BPP resulted in a reduction in moisture content and an increase in ash, fat, protein, and fibre levels, while reducing overall carbohydrate content. Furthermore, BPP-enriched bread exhibited an increase in total phenolic content (TPC) (ranging from 28.46 to 42.38 mg GAE/100 g) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (ranging from 6.63 to 9.46 QE mg/g), indicating enhanced antioxidant properties. The DPPH assay demonstrated the antioxidant potential of BPP-incorporated bread, with the radical scavenging activity (RSA) increasing from 18.84% to 53.03% with increasing BPP enrichment. Color assessment revealed changes in both crust and crumb, with a decrease from 78.46 to 40.53 in the lightness (L∗) value of the crust and from 61.21 to 41.10 in the lightness (L∗) value of the crumb. Additionally, changes in a∗ and b∗ values were observed. The a∗ values varied between 17.59 and 12.42 for the crust and between 6.96 and 5.89 for the crumb. The b∗ values varied between 31.61 and 23.65 for the crust and between 19.63 and 16.58 for the crumb. Sensory evaluation suggested that up to 5% BPP inclusion in bread mirrored the texture, taste, appearance, and overall acceptability of control bread, but enrichment beyond 5% resulted in lower sensory scores. In summary, the incorporation of BPP significantly influenced various aspects of bread, highlighting its potential for applications in the food and industry sectors.