Physicochemical Changes During Processing And Storage Of Green Chili (Capsicum Annuum) Powders

Studies were taken up to prepare dehydrated green chili powders with
various pretreatments of green chilies and in different shapes such as longitudinal
slits, 1-cm cuts and pastes. The physicochemical analyses of green
chili powders were carried out by packing the powders in polyethylene (PE)
and metallized polyester polyethylene (MPE) pouches during storage.
Dehydrated green chili powders had considerable amount of crude protein
(13.38%) and were also rich in crude fiber (36.19%). The polyphenol content
increased in powder samples during a storage period of 180 days. The total
chlorophyll and pungency were found to be better in chili powders packed in
MPE pouches than in PE pouches. Equilibrium moisture content–relative
humidity data showed that these powders were nonhygroscopic in nature. The
critical moisture contents were 8.92 and 10.45%, which equilibrated at 50 and
54% RH of green chili powders (1-cm cuts) and green chili powders with salt
samples, respectively. The sensory scores showed that variation of packaging
material had a negligible effect on the sensory scores, and were comparable to
the taste of green chilies