The Effect of Short-term Storage and the Hot Water Treatment of Fresh-Cut Pepper Fruit cv. ‛Blondy F₁’ and ‛Yecla F₁’ on the Content of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties

The aim of the experiment was to determine the changes in the contents of bioactive compounds and antioxidant/antiradical activity in fresh-cut fruits of sweet pepper cv. ‘Blondy F₁’ and ‘Yecla F₁’, depending on the postharvest treatment. Treatment with hot water and short-term storage decreased the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant/antiradical activity of fruit peppers. The treatment with water at 55 °C for 12 sec. of fresh-cut fruits caused lower losses in content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant/antiradical activities than the treatment with water at 45 °C for 10 min. There was a significant correlation between the content of total polyphenols and antioxidant and antiradical activity of pepper fruits depending on the cultivar and the experimental season.