COMBINED INSTRUMENTAL AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF FLAVOR OF FRESH BELL PEPPERS (CAPSICUM-ANNUUM) HARVESTED AT 3 MATURATION STAGES

Bell pepper C. annuum cv. Mazurka and cv. Evident, at three maturation stages, were evaluated sensorily on flavor attributes. Green bell pep pers scored mainly on the attributes bitterness, grassy, cucumber, and green bell pepper aroma, whereas the attributes sweetness, sourness, and red bell pepper aroma were distinctive for the red ones. Sugars an d organic acids were determined by high performance liquid chromatogra phy (HPLC), and concentrations of different ions of the acids were cal culated from their dissociation equilibria. Principal component analys is (PCA) demonstrated that HPLC data of fructose, glucose, total sugar , and dry matter content were related to the attribute sweetness in th e red maturation stage. HPLC concentrations of citric and ascorbic aci d, as well as calculated concentrations of undissociated ascorbic and dissociated/citric 1 and citric 2, showed close relationships with the attribute sourness. Moreover, pH and HPLC concentrations of malic, ox alic, fumaric,and pyroglutamic acid and calculated contents of dissoci ated malic 2, pyroglutamic 1, and oxalic 2 appeared to be negatively r elated with sourness.