Variation in beta-carotene and total carotenoid content in fruits of Capsicum

The beta -carotene and total carotenoid content of either fresh or dried ti ssue of fruits of a total of 57 cultivars of six Capsicum species were anal yzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). beta -Carotene le vels in ripe fruit varied from 0 to 166 mug.g(-1) fresh weight, and caroten oid levels were from 1 to 896 mug.g(-1) in ripe fruit in 1996. The range of values for beta -carotene was similar in 1997, but that for total caroteno ids was wider (4 to 1173 mug.g(-1) fresh weight). Fresh fruit of the cultiv ars Greenleaf Tabasco, Pulla, Guajillo, NuMex Conquistador, Ring-O-Fire, an d Thai Dragon contained greater amounts of beta -carotene per 100 g fresh w eight than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin A for the av erage adult. For dried Capsicum entries, New Mexican, aji, pasilla, and anc ho types had the highest levels of beta -carotene. In 1996, P-carotene leve ls among the dried Capsicum germplasm ranged from 2 to 739 mug.g(-1) dry we ight, and carotenoid levels from 111 to 6226 mug.g(-1). Values were higher in 1997, ranging from 24 to 1198 mug.g(-1) dry weight for beta -carotene an d from 187 to 10,121 mug.g(-1) for total carotenoids. A pasilla type (C. an nuum L.) had the highest total carotenoid content among the dried entries i n both years.