PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GROUND PAPRIKA FROM THE EASTERN DANUBE REGION

This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition of sweet and hot ground paprika originating from different production sites in the Eastern Danube Region, i.e. in Croatia, Serbia and Hungary. Obtained results showed that composition and level of metabolites as well as antioxidant activity in paprika samples varied greatly among different locations. For the first time, clear differences in the chemical composition of sweet and hot paprika obtained from two Hungarian wax pepper cultivars produced in three different states of the Eastern Danube region were determined. Averagely, paprika samples from Croatia had the highest carotenoid content but the lowest levels of phenols and flavonoids. The hot paprika samples from Croatia had the highest content of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Thus, the results of this investigation indicate that bioactive compounds in paprika can vary greatly depending on their geographical origin. However, this variation can also occur due to different production technology and processing methods. Further investigations and methods need to be employed to determine the factors responsible for variation of content of bioactive compounds in paprika.