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Ionic interactions affect the mineral composition of plants, which can cause nutritional disorders with reflections on yield, post-harvest quality, and food safety. Thus, this study evaluated the interaction between nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) and its effects on onion production and post-harvest quality. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design, with a 3 × 5 factorial scheme and four replications. The treatments consisted of a combination of three S rates (0, 20, and 40 mg dm−3) and five N rates (0, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg dm−3), applied in the form of calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O) and urea, respectively. It was observed that the interaction between N and S negatively affected onion production, reducing the gain of both fresh and dry mass of the bulb. The N/S ratio ranged from 16.5 to 26.2 and was not influenced by the interaction between N and S. Onion pungency was classified as intermediate. The higher pungency value was obtained with the application of 100 mg dm−3 of N, and 40 mg dm−3 of S. The application of N when combined with 20 mg dm−3 of S contributed to increasing titratable acidity and soluble solids content of onion cv. Diamantina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Sensory thresholds of hotness and pungent odour were determined from 120 chilli users. Three groups of Light (L), Moderate (M), and Heavy (H) chilli users were categorised based on their chilli consumption habits and sensitivity to hotness standard solutions. After the screening test, the users participated in 12 Alternative Forced Choice (AFC)‐sets, for each of three stimuli (capsaicin and 1‐Penten‐3‐One (1P3O) odour and dried chilli powder). The dried chilli 3‐AFC sample's concentration range was calculated to equate the same range of standard capsaicin stimuli for hotness sensation measurements. Concentrations of the three stimuli tested were in a range of (0.08–16.80 dry basis g L−1) for standardised dried chilli powder, (0.10–20.16 mg L−1) for capsaicin, and (0.01–2.04 μL L−1) for 1P3O. Heavy chilli users group threshold, as anticipated, indicated the highest average recognition level of stimuli in terms of pungency odour perceived from dried chilli (5.88 g L−1) and 1P3O (1.34 μL L−1), as well as for hotness sensation from dried chilli (7.19 g L−1) and capsaicin (12.79 mg L−1) samples. The magnitudes of heavy user's thresholds were exponentially higher than that of light users. At the recognition thresholds of oral hotness perception, the level of capsaicin presented in dried chilli sample was found to be much lower than the concentration of standard capsaicin sample. It was concluded that pungent odours and other flavours in dried chilli, increase hotness perception as compared with capsaicin stimulus. We also confirmed that 1P3O contributes to chilli pungent odour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the world, chili and chili powders are spices of considerable economic importance. Rocoto (Capsicum pubescens R. & P.) is a chili pepper used in Andean cuisine. Fresh chili is perishable and therefore it is convenient to protect the capsaicin, color and other bioactive compounds through preservation methods such as encapsulation. The present study systematically evaluates the technical and environmental aspects of producing encapsulated Rocoto red chili powder using three different wall materials—maltodextrin, rice protein and rice flour—in conjunction with two drying methods, namely convection drying and vacuum drying. Our technical objectives focused on developing an encapsulated product with high heat and vibrant red color, key attributes that significantly influence consumer purchasing behavior. In addition, the study aimed to mitigate the loss of polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. After identifying the optimal conditions for each wall material and drying process, a comprehensive environmental assessment was conducted to identify the most efficient and sustainable production methods. The results demonstrate that rice flour encapsulation (20%) in conjunction with hot air drying (40 °C) represents the most efficacious method for the preservation of chili powder's pungency. This approach resulted in a mere 24% reduction in Scoville units while maintaining the powder's vibrant red coloration. This method not only preserved key bioactive compounds, including capsaicin, polyphenols and flavonoids, but also significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the product. From an environmental perspective, this approach offers significant sustainability benefits, reducing the overall environmental impact by approximately 72% compared to vacuum drying of unencapsulated chili. The use of rice flour as an encapsulant aligns with sustainability goals, making it the most efficient option for balancing product quality and environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Capsaicin is the main pungent compound in red pepper responsible for its dual attributes of culinary utility and bioactive efficacy. This review aims to systematically review the preparation methods, pungency, and bioactivities of capsaicin. Capsaicin can be extracted by maceration, microwave, near‐infrared extraction, supercritical fluid, and ultrasound‐assisted extraction methods. Also, it can be synthesised through chemical, biosynthetic, and in vitro cell methods. Capsaicin can elicit a pungent sensation via activation of TRPV1 receptor. Furthermore, it has been reported to display various bioactivities, such as hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, analgesic, anti‐cancer, anti‐inflammatory, and intestinal health‐protecting activities via several signalling pathways. Overall, this review can provide a theoretical reference for understanding the preparation, pungent sensation, and bioactivities of capsaicin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The global demand for dehydrated onion is on the rise, driven by the increasing consumer preference for ready‐to‐eat convenience foods. This study focused on enhancing the quality and functional properties of dehydrated onion slices (cv. Pusa Shobha) through different pre‐treatment and drying conditions. Fresh onion slices were subjected to pre‐treatment using NaCl (3%, 5% and 7%) and KMS (0.3%, 0.5% and 0.7%) solutions for 10 min, followed by tray drying at 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C temperatures for varying durations of 14, 12 and 10 h, respectively. Based on physicochemical and functional properties, onion slices pretreated with 5% NaCl + 0.5% KMS and dehydrated at 60 °C for 12 h retained higher bioactive compounds like total phenols (166.32 mg GAE 100 g−1 DW), total flavonoids (28.94 mg QE g−1 DW), ascorbic acid (12.45 mg 100 g−1 DW), quercetin (172.88 μg g−1 DW) and total antioxidant activity (24.59 μmol TE g−1 DW). Additionally, it maintained superior sensory acceptability with higher pungency (7.15 μmol g−1 DW), dehydration ratio (9.25%), rehydration ratio (5.20%), lower non‐enzymatic browning (0.36) and moisture content (5.75%). Hence, the optimised treatment of 'Pusa Shobha' slices with 5% NaCl + 0.5% KMS, followed by dehydration at 60 °C for 12 h, yields dehydrated onion slices with superior bioactive compounds, sensory acceptability, and enhanced functional properties. The findings of his research offer valuable technology for the food industry, providing a practical and efficient method to produce high‐quality dehydrated onion slices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Capsicum chinense Jacq. (Ghost Pepper) is well-known for its high pungency and pleasant aroma. The recent years witnessed a significant decline in popularity of this important crop due to the use of inferior planting material and lack of elite lines. To maintain constant performance across a variety of settings, it is crucial to choose stable lines with high yield and capsaicin content, as these are the most promising traits of Ghost Pepper. Method: In this study, 120 high-capsaicin genotypes were subjected to a 3-year (kharif 2017, 2018 and 2019) stability investigation utilizing two well-known stability methods: Eberhart-Russell (ER) and additive main effects and multiple interaction (AMMI). Three replications were used following Randomized Complete Block Design for 11 traits. The experiment soil was sandy loam with pH 4.9. Minimum and maximum temperature of 18.5 °C, 17.5 °C, 17.4 °C and 32.2 °C, 31.3 °C, 32.7 °C and rainfall of 1,781, 2,099, 1,972 mm respectively was recorded for the study period. Result: The genotype-environment linear interaction (G×E Lin.) was highly significant for days to 50% flowering, capsaicin content, fruit length and girth, fruit yield per plant and number of fruits per plant at p < 0.005. G×E interaction for fruit yield and capsaicin content in AMMI-analysis of variance reported 67.07% and 71.51% contribution by IPCA-1 (interactive principal component axis) and 32.76% and 28.49% by IPCA-2, respectively. Eight genotypes were identified to be stable with high yield and capsaicin content. The identified stable lines can be opted for cultivation to reduce the impact of crop failure when grown in different macro-environments. Moreover, the pharmaceutical and spice sectors will also be benefitted from the lines with high capsaicin content. Further research assessing the lines' performance across various regions of India can provide a solid foundation for the crop's evaluation at national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shelf life of green chillies is very low due to high-water activity (aw = 0.90 ± 0.01). Balancing aw and moisture content is crucial for maintaining freshness, quality and extending shelf life of green chillies. To attain microbial and biochemical stability, the aw should be reduced to 0.6 and 0.3, respectively. Hence, a controlled drying process was introduced. The 0.6 aw (62 ℃/360 min + 35 ℃/60 min) and 0.3 aw (75 ℃/600 min + 40 ℃/240 min) green chillies improved bioactives retention, colour and texture; but could not completely prevent the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, post-drying, a decontamination process i.e., pulsed light (PL) treatment of 0.53 to 2.59 Jcm−2 (1.7–2.1 kV/120–360 s) was employed. Along with microbial decontamination and enzyme inactivation, PL preserved better physicochemical characteristics in 0.6 and 0.3 aw than 0.9 (fresh) green chillies. While, there is 89.8%, 89.0%, 88.8%, and 93.3% retention of phenolics, antioxidants, flavonoids, and capsaicinoids, respectively, in 0.3 aw green chillies at PL fluence of 2.59 J cm−2 fluence. Alongside, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and chlorophyll showed 30%, 19%, and 26% loss, respectively, in 0.6 aw green chillies at 2.59 J cm−2. Drying followed by PL treatment ensured that the green chillies were safe for consumption, and met regulatory standards while maintaining their quality attributes. Therefore, integrated approach combining drying followed by PL decontamination would be the suitable method for preserving the quality of the green chillies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Condiment is the property of China Condiment and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ginger has been widely used for different purposes, such as condiment, functional food, drugs, and cosmetics. Gingerols, the main pungent component in ginger, possess a variety of bioactivities. To fully understand the significance of gingerols in the food and pharmaceutical industry, this paper first recaps the composition and physiochemical properties of gingerols, and the major extraction and synthesis methods. Furthermore, the pungency and bioactivity of gingerols are reviewed. In addition, the food application of gingerols and future perspectives are discussed. Gingerols, characterized by a 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl moiety, are divided into gingerols, shogaols, paradols, zingerone, gingerdiones and gingerdiols. At present, gingerols are extracted by conventional, innovative, and integrated extraction methods, and synthesized by chemical, biological and in vitro cell synthesis methods. Gingerols can activate transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and induce signal transduction, thereby exhibiting its pungent properties and bioactivity. By targeted mediation of various cell signaling pathways, gingerols display potential anticancer, antibacterial, blood glucose regulatory, hepato- and renal-protective, gastrointestinal regulatory, nerve regulatory, and cardiovascular protective effects. This review contributes to the application of gingerols as functional ingredients in the food and pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Capsicum chinense Jacq. (Ghost Pepper) is well-known for its high pungency and pleasant aroma. The recent years witnessed a significant decline in popularity of this important crop due to the use of inferior planting material and lack of elite lines. To maintain constant performance across a variety of settings, it is crucial to choose stable lines with high yield and capsaicin content, as these are the most promising traits of Ghost Pepper. Method In this study, 120 high-capsaicin genotypes were subjected to a 3-year (kharif 2017, 2018 and 2019) stability investigation utilizing two well-known stability methods: Eberhart-Russell (ER) and additive main effects and multiple interaction (AMMI). Three replications were used following Randomized Complete Block Design for 11 traits. The experiment soil was sandy loam with pH 4.9. Minimum and maximum temperature of 18.5 °C, 17.5 °C, 17.4 °C and 32.2 °C, 31.3 °C, 32.7 °C and rainfall of 1,781, 2,099, 1,972 mm respectively was recorded for the study period. Result The genotype-environment linear interaction (G×E Lin.) was highly significant for days to 50% flowering, capsaicin content, fruit length and girth, fruit yield per plant and number of fruits per plant at p < 0.005. G×E interaction for fruit yield and capsaicin content in AMMI-analysis of variance reported 67.07% and 71.51% contribution by IPCA-1 (interactive principal component axis) and 32.76% and 28.49% by IPCA-2, respectively. Eight genotypes were identified to be stable with high yield and capsaicin content. The identified stable lines can be opted for cultivation to reduce the impact of crop failure when grown in different macro-environments. Moreover, the pharmaceutical and spice sectors will also be benefitted from the lines with high capsaicin content. Further research assessing the lines’ performance across various regions of India can provide a solid foundation for the crop’s evaluation at national level.

Abstract Pungency of garlic (Allium sativum L.) is generated from breakdown of the alk(en)yl cysteine sulphoxide (CSO), alliin and its subsequent breakdown to allicin under the activity of alliinase (All). Based on recent evidence, two other important genes including Sulfite reductase (SiR) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) are thought to be related to sulfur metabolism. These three gene functions are in sulfate assimilation pathway. However, whether it is involved in stress response in crops is largely unknown. In this research, the order and priority of simultaneous expression of three genes including All, SiR and SOD were measured on some garlic ecotypes of Iran, collected from Zanjan, Hamedan and Gilan, provinces under sulfur concentrations (0, 6, 12, 24 and 60 g/ per experimental unit: pot) using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. For understanding the network interactions between studied genes and other related genes, in silico gene network analysis was constructed to investigate various mechanisms underlying stimulation of A. sativum L. to cope with imposed sulfur. Complicated network including TF-TF, miRNA-TF, and miRNA-TF-gene, was split into sub-networks to have a deeper insight. Analysis of q-RT-PCR data revealed the highest expression in All and SiR genes respectively. To distinguish and select significant pathways in sulfur metabolism, RESNET Plant database of Pathway Studio software v.10 (Elsevier), and other relative data such as chemical reactions, TFs, miRNAs, enzymes, and small molecules were extracted. Complex sub-network exhibited plenty of routes between stress response and sulfate assimilation pathway. Even though Alliinase did not display any connectivity with other stress response genes, it showed binding relation with lectin functional class, as a result of which connected to leucine zipper, exocellulase, peroxidase and ARF functional class indirectly. Integration network of these genes revealed their involvement in various biological processes such as, RNA splicing, stress response, gene silencing by miRNAs, and epigenetic. The findings of this research can be used to extend further research on the garlic metabolic engineering, garlic stress related genes, and also reducing or enhancing the activity of the responsible genes for garlic pungency for health benefits and industry demands.

Copyright of Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose The beneficial effects of liquid humus applied to plants are well reported in the literature; however, studies of liquid humic application in the production and quality of garlic culture are practically nonexistent. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of foliar application of a liquid humic extract from vermicompost (HEVC) that is well characterized by solid-state 13C NMR on garlic production and fruit quality under field conditions. Method After 45 days in the field, garlic plants received foliar applications of HEVC at three different dilutions: 1:40, 1:60 and 1:80 (v:v). Humic substances (HS) in HEVC were characterized by 13C NMR CP/MAS spectroscopy. At 125 days after planting, the plants were collected, and growth and production parameters were determined: quantity of garlic cloves, fresh and dry bulb, diameter of garlic cloves and bulb, as well as parameters of fruit quality including caliber, firmness, acidity, brix, pungency, carbohydrate and protein contents. Results The structure of HS in HEVC is composed mainly of carbohydrates and peptides as well as lignin fragments, explaining the stimulus effects on plant metabolism. The foliar application of HEVC improves the productive, commercial and internal quality parameters of fruits when compared to the control treatment. The HEVC foliar application in 1:40 v:v ratio was the most promising treatment in terms of increases in fruit quality indices, promoting improvements in bulb caliber, numbers of garlic cloves and internal fruit content. Conclusion The foliar application of HEVC benefits garlic production and fruit quality. The use of HEVC can be a sustainable alternative within the small-scale garlic phytotechnology package.

The objective of this work was to obtain high‐yielding F1 hybrids of the habanero pepper, using 10 outstanding parents in a line‐tester genetic design. General combinatorial ability and specific combinatorial ability were evaluated in the parents' and the hybrids F1 obtained, respectively. Heterosis was determined in the 18 hybrids obtained. The technique of HPLC was used to evaluate the capsaicin content in the fruit of 10 parents and 18 hybrids of habanero pepper. The DNA profiles were analysed as part of the characterization of the germplasm of the species conserved at the CICY. Furthermore, the molecular variation of the genotypes under investigation was assessed using eight SSR and nine ISSR markers. The results showed the presence of substantial morphoagronomic and molecular variability among the habanero pepper genotypes evaluated. Genetic similarities of 83%–93% between parents and 76%–94% between hybrids were found. The most productive hybrids were H8, H10 and H19 with 3.13 to 4.29 kg/plant, respectively, these came from crosses where RNJ‐04 (P26) as the male parent and the hybrid H60 (4.92 kg/plant) that comes from the male parent RES‐08 (P30). Likewise, the H7 hybrid had the highest capsaicin content (128.41 mg/g dry weight, 960,687.00 SHU). Hybrids H43 with 114.39 mg/g DW and 90,444.30 SHU, and H51 with 11.61 mg/g DW and 934,745.07 SHU respectively, also stood out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physicochemical properties, pungency, anti-nutritional factors, cutting strength, and colour attributes of seven promising garlic varieties were assessed for their potential application. The garlic varieties were found to be slightly acidic (pH 6.08 - 6.77), and contained varying amounts of crude protein, carbohydrate, crude fat, ash, crude fibre, acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). The pungency factor as pyruvic acid was found to be in the range of 34.84 - 86.69 µmol/mL, whereas anti-nutritional factors such as saponin (6.63 - 13.98 g), phytic acid (0.03 - 0.6 g), and tannin (0.18 - 0.39 gCE) per 100 g on a fresh weight basis were present. The Bhima purple (BP) variety with a purple tinge showed higher saponin content than the other varieties with a whitish tinge. The cutting strength of garlic cloves varied between 17.20 and 104.61 N. Physical and gravimetric properties were estimated and found to be variety-dependent (p = 0.05). Colour attributes like L* (lightness), a* (redness), b* (yellowness), chroma, hue, and browning index were significantly different (p = 0.05) for all the garlic varieties. The minimum hue value, and maximum a* and b* values, browning index (BI), and chroma were found in the BP variety. Principal component analysis as a significant multivariate analysis tool was applied to assess the existence of correlation among the estimated parameters. It was found to be 75.41% of the total variance when considering the first three principals. Haryana garlic-17 (HG-17) variety showed significant quality as it yielded positive correlation with the maximum number of quality attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The transcript level of alcohol acyltransferase 1 (AAT1) may be the main factor influencing the variations in volatile esters that characterizing the fruity/exotic aroma of pepper fruit. Volatile esters are key components for characterizing the fruity/exotic aroma of pepper (Capsicum spp.) fruit. In general, the volatile ester content in the fruit is the consequence of a delicate balance between their synthesis by alcohol acyltransferases (AATs) and degradation by carboxylesterases (CXEs). However, the precise role of these families of enzymes with regard to volatile ester content remains unexplored in Capsicum. In this study, we found that the volatile ester content was relatively low in C. annuum and much higher in C. chinense, particularly in pungent varieties. Additionally, fruits collected from multiple non-pungent C. chinense varieties, which harbor loss-of-function mutations in capsaicinoid biosynthetic genes, acyltransferase (Pun1), putative aminotransferase (pAMT), or putative ketoacyl-ACP reductase (CaKR1) were analyzed. The volatile ester contents of non-pungent C. chinense varieties (pamt/pamt) were equivalent to those of pungent varieties, but their levels were significantly lower in non-pungent NMCA30036 (pun12/pun12) and C. chinense (Cakr1/Cakr1) varieties. Multiple AAT-like sequences were identified from the pepper genome sequences, whereas only one CXE-like sequence was identified. Among these, AAT1, AAT2, and CXE1 were isolated from fruits of C. chinense and C. annuum. Gene expression analysis revealed that the AAT1 transcript level is a potential determinant of fruit volatile ester variations in Capsicum. Furthermore, enzymatic assays demonstrated that AAT1 is responsible for the biosynthesis of volatile esters in pepper fruit. Identification of a key gene for aroma biosynthesis in pepper fruit will provide a theoretical basis for the development of molecular tools for flavor improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion flavors arise from the enzymatically produced volatile sulfur-containing sulfinic acids created when onion cells rupture. The concentrations of these flavor-associated compounds depend on genetic and environmental factors, with soil sulfur (S) availability as a primary contributor. To understand how leaching influences S availability in soils of southeastern Georgia, a column leaching experiment was conducted over a 13-month period using soils from six historic Vidalia onion fields. Soil S in the A horizon ranged from 21–126 kg ha−1 and 126–261 kg ha−1 for plant available and total S, respectively, and 17–541 kg ha−1 for plant available S and 46–841 kg ha−1 of total S in the B horizon. Total S decreased 32% on average over the 13-month period, ranging from 10–65 kg ha−1. Unlike studies from other regions that determined that the overwhelming majority of soil S is organically bound, 16–64% of soil S in these soils was readily plant available, suggesting that in the sandy, low organic matter (OM) soils and thermic climate of southeastern Georgia, S retention is likely controlled by the combination of soil factors including, OM, amount and type of clay, and iron and aluminum content. While the amount of S decreased in all six soils, plant available S remained between 14–46 kg ha−1 in the A horizon, indicating it may take several seasons for soil S to appreciable decrease through leaching. Sweet onion producers like those in the Vidalia region should carefully monitor S additions to promote the production of low pungency onions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piquin pepper fruits, a semi-domesticated wild pepper species highly valued in Mexico, currently face the threat of unsustainable harvesting practices that endanger the species. For this reason, it is necessary to establish sustainable agricultural practices for the cultivation of these peppers. Solar radiation, a critical determinant in crop production, plays a crucial role in plant development, influencing a spectrum of physiological and morphological processes, including the synthesis of phytochemicals. Our study evaluated the effect of light manipulation through colored shading nets on the phytochemical profile, antioxidant capacity, and fruit quality of semi-domesticated piquin peppers at two maturation stages: immature and mature (green and red fruits). Our hypothesis posits that these shading treatments may induce changes in these fruits' phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties, as well as quality. Our results indicate that the shading treatments and maturity stage have significant on capsaicinoid and carotenoid levels, with the highest levels observed in mature fruits. Notably, red fruits grown under black shading treatments resulted in the highest capsaicinoid levels. Carotenoid levels were higher in the black shading treatment during the first cycle, while in the second cycle, the blue shading treatment showed elevated carotenoid levels, suggesting that high irradiance conditions could reduce carotenoid contents. Although no significant differences were observed among the treatments in green fruits, in red fruits, both black and blue treatments exhibited the highest total phenolic compounds in both production cycles. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity revealed that red fruits exhibited higher antioxidant levels than green fruits. Color analysis showed that red fruits had higher chroma and hue angle values, indicating their brighter and more intense red color than green fruits. The morphological changes in fruit width, length, and weight can be attributed to shading treatments and maturation stages. These results indicate the potential of piquin peppers to act as rich sources of bioactive compounds, emphasizing the benefits of shading as an effective strategy to improve the quality and quantity of phytochemical compounds in piquin peppers. Our findings provide substantial insights into the intricate relationship between maturation, shading treatments, and phytochemical composition, offering a path to improve the nutritional value and quality of piquin peppers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsaicinoids are a class of alkaloids with vanillyl and medium/long-chain fatty acid amide structures, and capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are the most pungent capsaicinoids. Some capsaicinoids activate related receptors and induce the transmission of nociceptive and thermic neural signals, leading to pungency perception. The Scoville scale is the most common method for pungency evaluation. However, it cannot reflect the actual pungency of samples because the result is only correlated with the contents of pungent substances. Time-intensity approach provides several quantitative indexes to measure pungency and is more useful. In addition to increasing the content of capsaicinoids, using aqueous-based carrier, increasing the temperature, sensitization, and some sensory stimuli can enhance the pungency perception of capsaicinoids, which deserves special attention in sensory evaluation. In summary, this paper reviewed the structure and distribution of capsaicinoids, mechanism and evaluation methods for pungency perception, as well as factors that may influence the perception of spiciness. This article provides some reference for the pungency prediction and development of spicy foods.

Onions (Allium cepa) are typically planted late fall and harvested in spring in the Vidalia, GA, USA, region. Onions grown here are renowned for their for sweetness and are marketed to consumers as Vidalia onions. High rainfall during the relatively long growing season (4 to 5 months) may result in nitrogen (N) leaching during production. Therefore, fertilizer applications are usually aligned with stages of crop development to ensure nutrient availability for the entire season. Although the impacts of N application rate have been previously investigated for Vidalia onion production, the optimal timing for the final N application of the season has not been determined. The objectives of this study were to determine the optimal timing of the last fertilizer N application (at bulb initiation, during bulb growth, or during bulb maturation) in conjunction with the impact of three N application rates (75, 105, and 135 lb/acre N) on yield and quality in Vidalia onion. Soil N levels were affected by N rate, year, and onion growth stage. In 2020, up to 135 lb/acre N was required to maximize onion yields, and in 2021, onion yields were unchanged among N fertilizer treatments. Final N applications at bulb initiation resulted in greater yields than applications made during bulb growth or bulb maturation. In addition, as the N rate increased and the time of final application occurred later in bulb development, pungency values increased. Incidence of sour skin (Burkholderia cepacia) and center rot (Pantoea sp.) diseases were greater in 2020 compared with 2021 and seemed to be affected by environmental conditions more than N fertilization.

Background: Capsaicin and its analogues known as capsaicinoids are the principal sources of pungency in Capsicum spp. In this study, characterization of North-West Himalayan chilli germplasm and commercial landraces of different Indian states known for different pungency-color combinations was done based on capsaicin concentration. Moreover, molecular variation in pungency among high, medium and mild/not pungent Capsicum spp., especially those adapted to North-West Himalayas were elucidated. Methods and results: Forty-nine genotypes of chilli comprising breeding lines of Kashmiri origin, commercial landraces of Southern Indian origin and one of the world's hottest chilli Bhut Jolokia from Nagaland state of India were used as an experimental material. Wide variation in capsaicin content was observed among the genotypes, wherein, Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum chinense) expressed the highest capsaicin content (10,500.75 µg/g). Further, molecular analysis of PunI gene was done for discovering SNPs responsible for variations in pungency. In the non-pungent Nishat-1 (Capsicum annuum var. grossum), the 650 bp DNA fragment was not amplified due to 2.5 kb deletion spanning the putative promoter and first exon of AT3. The amplified DNA product for high and medium pungent was sequencing. Sequence alignment among revealed SNPs which were further observed responsible for variations in amino acid sequence and protein structure. Conclusion: The observed variation in protein structure might be responsible for high capsaicin production in one genotype as compared to the other and hence the protein conformation determines its interaction with the substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) and bell pepper (C. annuum var. grossum) are the important crops of the Solanaceae family. In the present study, marker-assisted selection (MAS) was employed for interspecific leaf curl virus disease (LCVD) resistant gene introgression from hot pepper (S-343) to heat-tolerant bell pepper lines. Segregating populations were developed using resistant (S-343) and susceptible (bell pepper) genotypes for understanding the genetics of LCVD resistance. The micro-cage artificial screening technique was used for the phenotypic selection of LCVD resistant plants from progenies of each population. The F1 of all crosses were resistant to LCVD, while F2 and BC1F2 generations of all the crosses were segregated into 3:1 (resistant:susceptible) and BC1F1 generations of all crosses were a good fit to ratio 1:1 (resistant:susceptible) suggesting monogenic dominant control of LCVD resistance. In addition to phenotypic selection for LCVD resistance, MAS for non-pungency was done using 'BF7' and 'BR9'-SCAR primers along with the very stringent phenotyping (background selection) in backcrossed populations for most important fruit traits. The background selection was performed for the recovery of recurrent parent phenome and it was measured as shift in means of these important fruit traits. To the best of our knowledge, it is a novel experiment of introgression of LCVD resistance in heat tolerant bell pepper lines that led to the successful development of six improved LCVD resistant, heat-tolerant and non-pungent BC2F1 populations (LCVRS3SM-1, LCVRS3SM-2, LCVRS3SM-8, LCVRS3SM-4, LCVRS3SM-17, and LCVRS3SM-58) that will help in future bell pepper resistant breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Piperine, the principle pungent compound in black peppers, is known to activate the capsaicin receptor TRPV1 ion channel. How piperine interacts with the channel protein, however, remains unclear. Here we show that piperine binds to the same ligand-binding pocket as capsaicin but in different poses. There was no detectable detrimental effect when T551 and E571, two major sites known to form hydrogen bond with capsaicin, were mutated to a hydrophobic amino acid. Computational structural modeling suggested that piperine makes interactions with multiple amino acids within the ligand binding pocket, including T671 on the pore-forming S6 segment. Mutations of this residue could substantially reduce or even eliminate piperine-induced activation, confirming that T671 is an important site. Our results suggest that the bound piperine may directly interact with the pore-forming S6 segment to induce channel opening. These findings help to explain why piperine is a weak agonist, and may guide future efforts to develop novel pharmaceutical reagents targeting TRPV1.

This article documents an approach to predicting positive sensory attributes – fruitiness, bitterness, pungency-of virgin olive oil from its chemical characteristics, using machine learning methods. The dataset used in this study included forty-nine olive oil samples of the Koroneiki variety from nine selected olive mills, evenly distributed in the region of Messinia, Greece. The samples were analyzed for free acidity, peroxide value, the UV absorption for the determination of the extinction coefficients, phenolic compounds (total secoiridoid phenols, oleocanthal, oleacein, oleuropein aglycon and ligstroside aglycon) and sterol compounds (total sterols, cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, d7-stigmasterol, erythrodiol, uvaol, b-sitosterol). Sensory analysis of the samples took place 20–30 days after their sampling date and the intensity of three positive attributes (fruitiness, bitterness and pungency) was measured. The authors used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) for feature selection and then applied ordinary least squares (OLS) methods to build the final models. Three Python-based forecasting machine learning models for each sensory characteristic (fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency) were built and evaluated in comparison to one another in terms of the performance metrics of root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), using repeated 5-fold cross-validation. The interacting effects among the sensory features were also considered for developing the two regression models, while the third model was only based on chemical attributes. The results obtained, revealed a significant relationship between each sensory attribute and the intensity of the other two, with the respective prediction models demonstrating a highly satisfactory level of performance. Furthermore, models that employed only chemical indices as predictors provided strong evidence that chemical indices alone were sufficient to predict the intensities of the sensory attributes. The findings of this study establish the predictive value of the constructed models, which might be utilized to support panels in training and calibration.

Exogenous growth regulators (GRs) play a crucial role in alleviating water stress and sustaining crop yields in water-stressed areas. However, their effects on onions post-harvest quality, particularly post-monsoon onion—often preferred for long-term storage—were never studied. Therefore, this led us to investigate the interaction between water stress and GRs on the physiochemical and functional quality attributes of onions during long-term storage (9 months, at 25 ± 1 °C and 65 ± 5% RH). Onion crop was raised under four water stress levels i.e., 1.00–0.85, 0.84–0.70, 0.69–0.40, and 0.39–0.10 IW: CPE, designated as no, low, medium, and severe water stress, respectively, using a line source sprinkler system (LSS). GR treatments include potassium nitrate (PN, 15 g L−1), sodium benzoate (SB, 100 mg L−1), thio-urea (TU, 450 ppm), and gibberellic acid (GA, 25 ppm). Results reveal that the significant temporal changes in the dry matter, rehydration ratio, total soluble sugar (TSS), protein, and total phenolics content (TP) of the onion bulbs during storage, indicate the cumulative impact of the treatments on overall physicochemical status. Water stress increased onion biochemical attributes, especially pyruvic acid content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) activity. Storage quality of onions progressively decreased with the increase in storage period. Stressed onions, especially those produced under severe water stress condition, showed high weight losses, presenting poor keeping quality. However, application of GRs, especially SB, TU, and PN, reduced bulb weight losses together with maintaining slightly better bulb physicochemical properties, thereby improving the overall storage quality, particularly with a moderate level of water stress (0.69–0.40 IW:CPE). The exogenous application of GRs with moderate water stress is suggested as a key strategy in improving the keeping quality of onion bulbs and ensuring its availability during the lean season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit quality phenotyping is a bottleneck in plant breeding. The present work aimed to investigate the applicability of visible (Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for quality evaluation in dry red chili powder. We constructed prediction models for the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA)-colour and the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU)- pungency pepper traits using spectroscopy and multivariate statistical techniques. Predictive partial least squares (PLS) models were successfully achieved with high correlations (r) between the predicted and reference values for calibration and validation (r = 0.955 and 0.928 for ASTA-colour; r = 0.941 and 0.918 for SHU-pungency). Spectroscopy data from visible and short-wave radiation (Vis-SWNIR) provided the most robust (residual predictive deviation value) model for ASTA-colour (RPD = 2.84) and long-wave radiation (LWNIR) for SHU-pungency (RPD = 2.48). Spectral categories for wavelength range selection, variable importance for effective wavelength selection, and root mean press-statistic for factor selection were important criteria for PLS. Trait variance and distribution were also important criteria for the predictive capacity and power of the models. In conclusion, non-invasive spectroscopy was a promising tool in our study for dry red chili quality phenotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of heat treatments on the pungency and aroma profiles of a spice oleoresin blend, and the emulsion stability with different surfactants, encapsulating agents, and homogenization mechanisms. Total pungency increased with heat until 120 °C and drastically reduced at 150 °C. Thermal processing induced aroma release, and 46 compounds were identified at 90 °C, predominantly comprising sesquiterpenes. Tween 80 dispersed the highest oleoresin mass (6.21 ± 0.31 mg/mL) and reported the maximum emulsion stability index. The oleoresin percentage significantly influenced the emulsion stability, with 1% oleoresin producing the most stable emulsion. High-pressure homogenization applied on gum Arabic resulted in a greater encapsulation efficiency, exceeding 86%, and the lowest creaming index (4.70 ± 0.06%), while Hi-Cap 100 produced the best flow properties. The findings provide insights into incorporating lipophilic spice oleoresin blends in aqueous food systems and understanding the release of flavor compounds during thermal food processing. [Display omitted] • A blend of five-spice oleoresins was prepared based on a sensory accepted ratio. • Heat treatment improved the pungency and aroma profiles of the spice oleoresin blend. • Tween 80 was the most effective surfactant for oleoresin dispersion. • High-pressure produced more stable, uniform particle size emulsions than high-speed homogenization. • Gum Arabic reported the best encapsulation efficiency; Hi-Cap 100 had the lowest viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Enriching garlic with selenium and increasing the antioxidant properties of garlic. • Reducing NO− 3 accumulation in garlic and improving the health of community members. • For the first time, the interaction between N and Se was studied in bulb garlic. High concentrations of nitrate (NO− 3), especially in vegetables, is a great threat to human health. Selenium (Se) is an essential element for human health due to its effect on the growth and development of plants and its active presence in antioxidant systems. Selenium affects nitrogen (N) metabolism, however, the effect of Se on NO− 3 accumulation in vegetables is still unknown. In this research, the interaction effect of Se and N on the growth and biochemical characteristics of garlic has been investigated. Three levels of Se (0, 5, and 10 mg L−1 sodium selenate) along with four levels of N (0, 50, 100, and 150 Kghm−2) were implemented as a factorial experiment in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications. The application of N and Se in garlic was associated with an increase in the growth characteristics of the plant and bulb. In all three levels of Se, total N, total sulfur (S) and cysteine were augmented with increasing N concentration. With the rise in Se concentration, the content of total sulfur was reduced, which resulted in a decrease in the content of cysteine and allicin. The use of 10 mg L−1 sodium selenate along with 150 Kghm−2 N is recommended to produce garlic with the maximum content of antioxidant compounds and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive dietary salt intake leads to health issues, while reducing NaCl content compromises flavor. Therefore, identifying methods to decrease salt levels without sacrificing flavor is crucial. This study investigated the sensory interaction between the saltiness of NaCl and the pungency of Litsea oleoresin. Glyceryl monostearate (6.6%) and soy lecithin (4.4%) were used as gelling agents to create oleogels, which were then employed to immobilize NaCl nanocrystals, optimizing sensory interactions. NaCl nanocrystals (427.73 ± 61.98 nm) were encapsulated in a Litsea oleoresin-sunflower seed oleogel system with uniform distribution. Sensory evaluation indicated that the NaCl nanocrystal/ Litsea oleoresin@oleogel system, with moderate pungency, significantly enhanced perceived saltiness intensity (29.00 ± 1.14, compared to the control, 18.48 ± 1.12) (P < 0.05). When applied to potato chips, this system noticeably increased saltiness perception. This research provides a promising approach for developing low-sodium yet flavorful foods. • A novel system for reducing salt by structuring oleogels has been developed. • Saltiness was enhanced through the use of sodium chloride nanocrystals. • The sensory interaction between saltiness and pungency was investigated. • The saltiness of potato chips was improved using this specific system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piperine, derived from black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), is responsible for the pungent sensation. The diverse bioactivities of piperine underscores its promising potential as a functional food ingredient. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the research progress in extraction, synthesis, pungency transduction mechanism and bioactivities of piperine. Piperine can be extracted through various methods, such as traditional, modern, and innovative extraction techniques. Its synthesis mainly included both chemical and biosynthetic approaches. It exhibits a diverse range of bioactivities, including anticancer, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-obesity, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and cardiovascular protective activities. Piperine can bind to TRPV1 receptor to elicit pungent sensation. Overall, the present review can provide a theoretical reference for advancing the potential application of piperine in the field of food science. [Display omitted] • Piperine can be effectively obtained by extraction and synthesis methods. • Piperine exhibits various bioactivities in vitro and in vivo. • The binding of piperine to TRPV1 receptor elicits a pungent sensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piquin pepper fruits, a semi-domesticated wild pepper species highly valued in Mexico, currently face the threat of unsustainable harvesting practices that endanger the species. For this reason, it is necessary to establish sustainable agricultural practices for the cultivation of these peppers. Solar radiation, a critical determinant in crop production, plays a crucial role in plant development, influencing a spectrum of physiological and morphological processes, including the synthesis of phytochemicals. Our study evaluated the effect of light manipulation through colored shading nets on the phytochemical profile, antioxidant capacity, and fruit quality of semi-domesticated piquin peppers at two maturation stages: immature and mature (green and red fruits). Our hypothesis posits that these shading treatments may induce changes in these fruits’ phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties, as well as quality. Our results indicate that the shading treatments and maturity stage have significant on capsaicinoid and carotenoid levels, with the highest levels observed in mature fruits. Notably, red fruits grown under black shading treatments resulted in the highest capsaicinoid levels. Carotenoid levels were higher in the black shading treatment during the first cycle, while in the second cycle, the blue shading treatment showed elevated carotenoid levels, suggesting that high irradiance conditions could reduce carotenoid contents. Although no significant differences were observed among the treatments in green fruits, in red fruits, both black and blue treatments exhibited the highest total phenolic compounds in both production cycles. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity revealed that red fruits exhibited higher antioxidant levels than green fruits. Color analysis showed that red fruits had higher chroma and hue angle values, indicating their brighter and more intense red color than green fruits. The morphological changes in fruit width, length, and weight can be attributed to shading treatments and maturation stages. These results indicate the potential of piquin peppers to act as rich sources of bioactive compounds, emphasizing the benefits of shading as an effective strategy to improve the quality and quantity of phytochemical compounds in piquin peppers. Our findings provide substantial insights into the intricate relationship between maturation, shading treatments, and phytochemical composition, offering a path to improve the nutritional value and quality of piquin peppers.

Cold stress (CS) anomalies have recently increased, major abiotic threat that delimit chilli production and yield. Cold tolerance is differing between genotypes, especially in commercial crops like hot pepper (chilli). specific investigations are required to understand biochemical and physiological changes in response to Cold stress (CS). Crop selection for increased tolerance needs traits with high sensitivity, fast and cost effective. This study aimed to select chilli genotypes which revealing differential tolerance to CS at seedling stage. Accordingly, 12 chilli genotypes were examined under two cold regimes including control (35/25 °C – day/night) and CS (10/8 °C – day/night). Multivariate cluster analysis of 14 traits grouped the genotypes into three clusters under stress condition, indicating that CS influencing physiology and oxidative potential of chilli seedlings. Chlorophyll, Membrane stability, Hydrogen peroxide content, lipid peroxidation and proline, phenolic contents are the influential traits for evaluating the impact of cold stress. ROS and ROS mediated traits showed a differential performance among the genotypes tested. Enzymatic antioxidants were significantly increased across all genotypes. Decrements of pungency levels in chilli fruits were significant only in CA-173 and F-02 genotypes. Altogether, the antioxidant profile has explored there is an association between capsaicinoid levels and antioxidant activities, antioxidants may involve preserving capsaicinoid metabolism to maintain the quality of chilli fruits during CS. Grouping of genotypes by cluster analysis is correlated with cold injury index and chlorophyll stability index under CS conditions. These indices can be employed as proper screening indices for cold tolerance in chilli genotypes. [Display omitted]. • Simulated short-term cold stress has differential negative impacts among Chilli genotypes. • Differential levels of ROS generation and antioxidant potential among the genotypes tested. • ROS-induced oxidation of capsaicinoids was countered by antioxidant enzymes and chilli fruit quality was maintained under short-term cold stress. • 12 genotypes were grouped into 3 clusters: 1 – Sensitive; 2 – Moderately tolerant; 3 – Tolerant. • Cold injury index and Chlorophyll stability index can be used as cost-effective screening indices for selection of cold-tolerant chilli genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsaicinoids (CAPs) are compounds synthesized and accumulated exclusively in pepper fruits. They are known as health-promoting compounds, and upbringing approaches to increase their content on pepper fruits content are strongly demanded. The capsaicin market is rising over 500 million dollars per year, demanding improving its yielding and adding commercial value to the market. These metabolites are used as additives, plus their bioactive functions and pharmaceutical claims. However, maintaining higher amounts under natural conditions requires precision agriculture practices based on biotechnological and plant physiology evidence. The biotic and abiotic factors are low-cost strategies proposed in research to increase CAPs contents and achieve high content yields from pepper tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunistic pathogenic fungi arise in agricultural crops as well as in surrounding human daily life. The recent increase in antifungal-resistant strains has created the need for new effective antifungals, particularly those based on plant secondary metabolites, such as capsaicinoids and capsinoids produced by Capsicum species. The use of such natural compounds is well-aligned with the One Health approach, which tries to find an equilibrium among people, animals, and the environment. Considering this, the main objective of the present work is to review the antifungal potential of capsaicinoids and capsinoids, and to evaluate the environmental and health impacts of biofungicides based on these compounds. Overall, capsaicinoids and their analogues can be used to control pathogenic fungi growth in plant crops, as eco-friendly alternatives to pest management, and assist in the conservation and long-term storage of agrifood products. Their application in different stages of the agricultural and food production chains improves food safety, nutritional value, and overcomes antimicrobial resistance, with a lower associated risk to humans, animals, and the environment than that of synthetic fungicides and pesticides. Nevertheless, research on the effect of these compounds on bee-like beneficial insects and the development of new preservatives and packaging materials is still necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepper (Capsicum spp.) is an important vegetable crop that provides a unique pungent sensation when eaten. Through construction of a pepper variome map, we examined the main groups that emerged during domestication and breeding of C. annuum , their relationships and temporal succession, and the molecular events underlying the main transitions. The results showed that the initial differentiation in fruit shape and pungency, increase in fruit weight, and transition from erect to pendent fruits, as well as the recent appearance of large, blocky, sweet fruits (bell peppers), were accompanied by strong selection/fixation of key alleles and introgressions in two large genomic regions. Furthermore, we identified Up , which encodes a BIG GRAIN protein involved in auxin transport, as a key domestication gene that controls erect vs pendent fruit orientation. The up mutation gained increased expression especially in the fruit pedicel through a 579-bp sequence deletion in its 5′ upstream region, resulting in the phenotype of pendent fruit. The function of Up was confirmed by virus-induced gene silencing. Taken together, these findings constitute a cornerstone for understanding the domestication and differentiation of a key horticultural crop. In this study, the authors identified the selection footprints, key genes, and their temporal sequence that give rise to present-day variations in pepper fruit shape and pungency. It was found that two wild-fragment introgressions and strong selection on Pun1 marked the emergence of blocky fruit pepper. A key domestication gene (Up) controlling pepper fruit orientation was also identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various herbs, plants and spices have been used for many decades as natural valuable remedies for prevention and/or treatment of diverse diseases and health problems. Chili peppers (Capsicum spp.), one of the oldest domesticated and utilized crops, are bestowed with a wide range of natural bioactive phytochemicals making the plant a very valuable spice with the health beneficial aspects. Carotenoids (apocarotenoids), ascorbic acid (and other vitamins), phenolic compounds, capsaicinoids and capsinoids belong to the main bioactive substances of nutritional and secondary metabolite composition of Capsicum fruits. Due to their presence, chili peppers possess various health-promoting functional attributes (such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities, pain relief properties, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal benefits, antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects, antimicrobial and antifungal activities) which are summarized and characterized in the current review. Taking into account not only the pungency, color and aroma but also the medicinal potential, the enormous quantities of various Capsicum fruits have been consumed worldwide, particularly in China. Attributing to the existence of several cultivars showing significant intra-specific, as well as inter-specific chemical variability, there is still a growing number of scientific researches screening the chemical composition and exploring potential phytopharmacy (including antioxidant and antimicrobial activities) of chili peppers. Such observations provide a helpful insight into the ability of the various Capsicum cultivars as natural agents in the prevention of diverse, mainly free radical- and microbial-related human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing salt content in processed foods while maintaining flavor is crucial for human health. This study investigates the sensory interaction between the pungency of black pepper oleoresin and saltiness within an oleogel matrix by incorporating NaCl nanocrystals into a black pepper oleoresin formulated with glyceryl monostearate and soy lecithin (G-L-P). Psychophysical results revealed that the salt content in the G-L-P and G-L systems (G-L-P without black pepper oleoresin) was reduced by up to 66.77 % and 37.08 % compared to the G system (G-L without soy lecithin), respectively. During oral processing, the G-L and G-L-P systems formed oil-in-water emulsions with smaller and more numerous oil droplets. Within 5 s, the Na+ concentration was lowest in the G system (2.2 g/L), while the G-L and G-L-P systems showed higher concentrations (3.1 g/L and 3.0 g/L, respectively). This research provides a theoretical basis for the food industry to develop low-salt products without compromising flavor. [Display omitted] • NaCl nanocrystals in oleogel maintain 35 % salt integrity for 14 days at 4 °C. • Piperine enhances saltiness, facilitating a notable 66.77 % reduction in salt. • Lecithin improves oil-in-water emulsion formation and saltiness perception. • Increased Na+ diffusion and mucin penetration rates enhance saltiness perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • First smartphone-based digital image colorimetry procedure for pungency assessment. • Application of D-limonene as an extraction solvent for capsaicinoids. • Easy-to-use method for evaluating the pungency of chili pepper. • Application of biobased solvents in the analysis of plant-based food. A simple smartphone-based digital image colorimetry was proposed for the determination of total capsaicinoid content and the assessment of chili pepper pungency. The biobased solvent D-limonene was used for the first time to isolate analytes. Capsaicinoids were efficiently separated from chili pepper by solid–liquid extraction with D-limonene followed by partitioning of the analytes into the ammonium hydroxide solution to eliminate the matrix interference effect. For colorimetric detection of total capsaicinoid content, a selective chromogenic reaction was performed using Gibbs reagent (2,6-dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide). Measurements were performed using a smartphone-based setup and included image analysis with the program ImageJ. The limit of detection of the proposed procedure was 0.15 mg g−1. The intra-day repeatability did not exceed 10.0 %. The inter-day repeatability was less than 16.5 %. The comparison of the smartphone-based procedure with high-performance liquid chromatography showed satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]