Phytochemical diversity and nutritional potential of hot peppers: A comprehensive review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46325/jnpra.v6i01.02Keywords:
pepper, cultivar, variation, functional quality, environmental factors and genetic variability.Abstract
Peppers represent one of the most widely consumed vegetables worldwide, valued not only for their culinary attributes but also for their richness in bioactive compounds such as capsaicinoids, carotenoids, tocopherols, phenolics, and vitamin C. These metabolites contribute to the nutritional and functional quality of peppers, conferring both health-promoting properties and agronomic values. A large body of evidence highlights the remarkable variability in their accumulation, largely influenced by genetic background, geographical origin, cultivation practices, and environmental conditions. While some cultivars, particularly from Mexico, the USA, Korea, and Hungary, display exceptionally high concentrations of specific compounds, traditional landraces from Tunisia, despite their generally lower levels, demonstrate remarkable adaptation to local agro-climatic constraints and retain significant nutritional potential, especially in phenolic and vitamin C content. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the diversity of bioactive compounds in peppers, the genetic and environmental factors that regulate their accumulation, and their implications for human health and plant breeding. The findings emphasize the dual importance of conserving local landraces as valuable genetic resources and exploiting elite cultivars to enhance the nutraceutical value of pepper-based foods.
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