COLOR RETENTION IN RED CHILE POWDER AS RELATED TO DELAYED HARVEST

Color retention in chile powder was studied using two mildly pungent l ong red chile (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars, 'New Mexico 6-4' and 'Nu Mex R Naky'. Pods of different maturities were harvested immediately a fter the first severe fail freeze and again 4 and 8 wk after the freez e. After each harvest pods were dried, ground, and immediately analyze d for color. Powder was stored at 2 degrees C and re-analyzed for colo r at 4 wk intervals. Color loss in whole pods from the field and the s tored powder showed linear and quadratic trends. Initially, delaying h arvest resulted in color loss in red chile but color in powder from la ter harvests was more stable and was retained better after 8 wk storag e than powder from the first harvest after the same length of time.