Chiang Mai Journal of Science

The aim of the present work was to investigate the influence of maturity (MS1: green, MS2: green changing to orange and MS3: orange), the extraction procedure (EP1, with pH= 7.0±0.1 and EP2, with pH = 2.0±0.1) and the liquid to solid ratio (from 10 to 60 mL/g) used for the extraction, on the content of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and on the antioxidant activity measured with the assays DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. The aqueous extracts obtained with EP2 presented a higher content of TPC and higher antioxidant activity, measured with the ABTS. The liquid to solid ratio of 60 mL/g and MS3 permitted the Habanero chili pepper to obtain the highest quantity of TPC and antioxidant activity. The TPC content was highly correlated (P ≤ 0.05) with the antioxidant activity, measured with the assays DPPH (R = 0.88), ABTS (R = 0.81) and FRAP (R = 0.91). The results obtained allow us to suggest that the difference in pH of the extraction solvent could exert the most significant impact on the reaction mechanism of the TPC with DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. Moreover, the consumption of orange colored Habanero chili pepper is proposed, given its higher content of TPC and its antioxidant activity.