EVALUATION OF VITAMIN C, CAROTENOID CONTENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED capsicum annuum L. CULTIVARS IN ETHIOPIA

<strong>ABSTRACT</strong>: Red hot Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is the world’s most important vegetable and it is used as fresh, dried or processed products as vegetables, spices or condiments. The spice hot red pepper locally known as Berebere, is widely used in daily meal of the Ethiopian people. This study was conducted to evaluate vitamin C, carotenoid content total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content(TFC) and antioxidant activity of red hot pepper cultivars Melka zala, Mareko fana and Local. Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride were used to determine total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoids contents (TFC), respectively. Antioxidant activities of spices were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) scavenging, ferric reducing power and total anti oxidant activity. Vitamin C content was determined using iodine titration method. Total catotene and beta-carotene were determined using UV- visible spectrophtometer. Mareko fana has the highest total phenolic contents (5.31 ± 0.12 milligram of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dried extract) and Flavonoid contents of 3.21 ± 0.18mg of catechin equivalent per gram of dried extract. Also Mareko fana cultivar showed the strongest DPPH scavenging (IC50 = 2.26 ± 0.08µg/mL), ferric reducing power of 38.28 ± 2.13 milligram ascorbic acid equivalent/gram of dried extract and total antioxidant activity of 32.20 ± 2.67milligran of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) equivalent per gram of dried extract. Thus the result indicated promising perspectives for the development and usage of Ethiopian red hot peppers that may provide desirable health benefits beyond basic nutrition to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases.