Capsaicinoids are the main compounds responsible for the pungency of chili peppers, and their accurate determination is essential for analytical and quality control applications. In this study, a rapid, low-cost and miniaturized method based on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) combined with liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed and validated for the determination of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. The extraction procedure was optimized using minimal sample (about 1 mg) and solvent volume (1 mL), providing an efficient and sustainable approach. The method showed excellent analytical performance, with high precision (coefficient of variation < 1%), recoveries close to 100%, and limits of detection and quantification of 0.11 and 0.35 mg L⁻¹ for capsaicin and 0.12 and 0.37 mg L⁻¹ for dihydrocapsaicin, respectively. The method was applied to 54 Capsicum chinense samples covering a wide range of pungency levels. Capsaicin was the predominant compound, and a strong correlation (r = 0.93) was observed between capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin concentrations. The calculated Scoville Heat Units (SHU) showed good agreement with values provided by producers, although some deviations were observed. The proposed method provides a reliable and practical tool for routine capsaicinoid determination and objective evaluation of chili pepper pungency, representing a cost-effective alternative to more complex analytical techniques.
Miniaturized Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Combined with Liquid Chromatography for the Determination of Capsaicinoids in Capsicum chinense
Valentina Domenici;Jeannette Jacqueline Łucejko
2026-01-01
Abstract
Capsaicinoids are the main compounds responsible for the pungency of chili peppers, and their accurate determination is essential for analytical and quality control applications. In this study, a rapid, low-cost and miniaturized method based on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) combined with liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed and validated for the determination of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. The extraction procedure was optimized using minimal sample (about 1 mg) and solvent volume (1 mL), providing an efficient and sustainable approach. The method showed excellent analytical performance, with high precision (coefficient of variation < 1%), recoveries close to 100%, and limits of detection and quantification of 0.11 and 0.35 mg L⁻¹ for capsaicin and 0.12 and 0.37 mg L⁻¹ for dihydrocapsaicin, respectively. The method was applied to 54 Capsicum chinense samples covering a wide range of pungency levels. Capsaicin was the predominant compound, and a strong correlation (r = 0.93) was observed between capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin concentrations. The calculated Scoville Heat Units (SHU) showed good agreement with values provided by producers, although some deviations were observed. The proposed method provides a reliable and practical tool for routine capsaicinoid determination and objective evaluation of chili pepper pungency, representing a cost-effective alternative to more complex analytical techniques.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
