Search Results (54)

This research addresses the critical need for an efficient and precise identification of Capsicum spp. fruit varieties within the post-harvest contexts to enhance quality control and ensure consumer satisfaction. Employing the YOLOv8m convolutional neural network, the study identified eight distinct pepper varieties: Pimento, Bode, Cambuci, Chilli, Fidalga, Habanero, Jalapeno, and Scotch Bonnet. A dataset comprising 1476 annotated images was utilized and significantly expanded through data augmentation techniques, including rotation, flipping, and contrast adjustments. Comparative analysis reveals that training with the augmented dataset yielded significant improvements across key performance indicators, particularly in box precision, recall, and mean average precision (mAP50 and mAP95), underscoring the effectiveness of data augmentation. These findings underscore the considerable potential of CNNs to advance the AgriFood sector through increased automation and efficiency. While acknowledging the constraints of a controlled image dataset, subsequent research should prioritize expanding the dataset and conducting real-world testing to confirm the model’s robustness across various environmental factors. This study contributes to the field by illustrating the application of deep learning methodologies to enhance agricultural productivity and inform decision-making. Full article

The growing global demand for food has driven an increase in both swine and agricultural production, although swine wastewater poses a significant environmental risk. This study employed elemental mapping techniques to evaluate the effects of swine wastewater irrigation on the spatial distribution and concentration of essential and non-essential elements, as well as on the morphological responses of habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) seedlings. Six treatments were tested, ranging from 0% to 100% swine wastewater (T1 = 20%, T2 = 40%, T3 = 60%, T4 = 80%, T5 = 100%, and T6 = control with conventional fertilization), using a completely randomized design with five replications. Emergence, elemental distribution, morphology, and seedling quality were evaluated. The highest emergence percentages and rates were observed in the 20% wastewater treatment and the control groups. Diluted wastewater treatments promoted potassium and calcium uptake, which correlated with improved seedling growth and vigor, while irrigation with 100% wastewater led to excessive chlorine and sulfur accumulation, negatively affecting morphology. These results indicate that the controlled dilution of swine wastewater optimizes nutrient availability and seedling development, offering an environmentally sustainable alternative for producing high-quality habanero pepper seedlings. This study provides novel insights into the environmental implications of swine wastewater reuse through elemental mapping, underscoring its potential to support sustainable and regenerative agriculture. Full article

The production of spicy sauces from chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) generates 5–30% of spicy by-product which is rich in valuable compounds (e.g., capsaicinoids, carotenoids, phenolics, etc.) and can serve as a source of Capsicum oleoresins, providing spice and color ingredients for food products. This study primarily focused on the optimization of Capsicum oleoresin extraction from Red Habanero chili pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) by-product using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). A second focus was the comparison between UAE and reflux-assisted extraction (RAE). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the extraction time (3 to 17 min) and acoustic power density (APD, 0.30 to 1.00 W/mL). The optimal UAE conditions (8 min, 0.87 W/mL) showed a higher extraction yield (26%) and high quality oleoresin extracts rich in bioactives (capsaicinoids: 7 mg/g; phenolics: 4 mg GAE/g) with antioxidant activity (FRAP: 139 µmol FeSO₄ eq/g; DPPH: 33 µmol TEAC/g). Optimum UAE extracts proved more colored, energy-efficient (95% less consumption), equally spicy (466,000 SHU) and had higher antioxidant activity than RAE. These results demonstrated UAE as a sustainable method for producing high value spicy additives from chili pepper by-product, turning them into products with enhanced bioactivity, favoring a circular economy in the agri-food industry. Full article

Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense) is known for its heat and culinary uses, especially in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Its leaves, rich in bioactive compounds like polyphenols with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, have been traditionally used in medicinal practices and are gaining interest for health benefits. Efficient green extraction methods, such as natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), combined with microencapsulation, can improve the stability and application of these compounds in functional foods and nutraceuticals. This study aimed to determine the optimal microencapsulation parameters using response surface methodology, implementing a 2² central composite design with 4 central points of habanero leaf extracts obtained by sonic probe with NADES. The factors evaluated were the percentage of guar gum (5%, 7.5%, and 10%) and the drying temperature (80 °C, 90 °C, and 100 °C). The extracts were spray-dried with maltodextrin (DE17-20), guar gum, and modified starch as encapsulating agents. The total polyphenol content (TPC), polyphenol profile, and antioxidant capacity methods like 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) or ABTS were analyzed. The best results for TPC and ABTS antioxidant capacity were achieved using 7.5% guar gum (GG) at 90 °C. At 104 °C, with the same GG concentration, the microcapsules maintained a high antioxidant capacity. Optimal conditions for TPC, DPPH, and neohesperidin were identified as 7.8% GG/89.4 °C, 8.06% GG/104.1 °C, and 4% GG/75.85 °C, respectively. The resulting powder exhibited high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, highlighting successful microencapsulation. Full article

Chili peppers are globally cultivated for their rich bioactive compound profile. This study investigates the impact of two biostimulants, Humix^® and Energen, on Capsicum chinense ‘Habanero Orange’ and Capsicum annuum ‘Kristian’, focusing on quantitative and qualitative parameters. Conducted over two years with three annual harvests, the research assesses the effects of biostimulant application on yield, fresh fruit number, fruit weight, drying ratio, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and ascorbic acid content (via HPLC-DAD analysis), as well as carotenoid levels (via spectrophotometric analysis). Biostimulant application significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) total yields and capsaicin levels. Harvest timing also influenced dihydrocapsaicin and capsaicin levels, with the third harvest showing the highest values (p ≤ 0.001). The effects on ascorbic acid and carotenoids were variable and depended on genotype, harvest, and treatment. Thus, our study provides insights into the dynamic responses of Capsicum species to biostimulants under variable climatic conditions, contributing new knowledge to agricultural practices and the scientific understanding of biostimulant effects in Capsicum production. Full article

Inadequately managed agricultural waste significantly impacts the environment, health, and economy. This pollution stems from the underutilization, inadequate awareness, and insufficient treatment of agricultural waste. Fruit and vegetable wastes are valuable sources of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to revalorize discarded waste from red habanero chili peppers (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) by extracting bioactive compounds through different extraction processes: maceration (ME), maceration assisted by ultrasound (US), Soxhlet extraction (SE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and supercritical fluid extraction with a co-solvent (SFEC). The extraction processes had significant effects on extraction efficiency and phytochemical profile (capsaicinoids and carotenoids recovery). The results indicated that the highest-efficiency process was SFEC, in addition to its high phytochemicals recovery (14.9 mg of total capsaicinoids and total carotenoids 292.09 µg per gram of sample). Concerning the phytochemical profile of the extract, the maceration process yielded the highest concentration of compounds, followed by US and SFEC. These data reveal that the use of the SFE and SFEC processes is recommended for extracting phytochemicals with biological activity from red habanero chili pepper waste for diverse industrial applications. Full article

Plant glutamate receptors (GLRs) are integral membrane proteins that function as non-selective cation channels, involved in the regulation of developmental events crucial in plants. Knowledge of these proteins is restricted to a few species and their true agonists are still unknown in plants. Using tomato SlGLRs, a search was performed in the pepper database to identify GLR sequences in habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Structural, phylogenetic, and orthology analysis of the CcGLRs, as well as molecular docking and protein interaction networks, were conducted. Seventeen CcGLRs were identified, which contained the characteristic domains of GLR. The variation of conserved residues in the M2 transmembrane domain between members suggests a difference in ion selectivity and/or conduction. Also, new conserved motifs in the ligand-binding regions are reported. Duplication events seem to drive the expansion of the species, and these were located in the evolution by using orthologs. Molecular docking analysis allowed us to identify differences in the agonist binding pocket between CcGLRs, which suggest the existence of different affinities for amino acids. The possible interaction of some CcGLRs with proteins leads to suggesting specific functions for them within the plant. These results offer important functional clues for CcGLR, probably extrapolated to other Solanaceae. Full article

This study aimed to determine storage conditions for microparticles containing habanero pepper extracts with maltodextrin (MD) and a 95:5 w/w mixture with precipitated silica (MDSP) as wall materials. State diagrams (SD) using water adsorption isotherms and glass transition temperatures were created. Monolayer values were 6.17 g (MD) and 6.76 g (MDSP) of water/100 g d.s. Critical water activity values (a_wC) were 0.49 for MD and 0.41 for MDSP. When stored at a_w > a_wC, both samples underwent physical transformations, with significant color changes (ΔE > 8). Conversely, storage below a_wC resulted in minimal changes (ΔE < 4), consistent with the SD. Full article

Plant extracts are a valuable alternative for the control of phytopathogenic fungi in horticultural crops. In the present work, the in vitro antifungal effect of ethanol and aqueous extracts from different vegetative parts of 40 native plants of the Yucatan Peninsula on Curvularia lunata ITC26, a pathogen of habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense), and effects of the most active extracts on postharvest fruits were investigated. Among these, the ethanol extracts of Mosannona depressa (bark from stems and roots) and Piper neesianum (leaves) inhibited 100% of the mycelial growth of C. lunata. The three extracts were partitioned between acetonitrile and n-hexane. The acetonitrile fraction from M. depressa stem bark showed the lowest mean inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 188 µg/mL against C. lunata. The application of this extract and its active principle α-asarone in the postharvest fruits of C. chinense (500 µg/mL) was shown to inhibit 100% of the severity of the infection caused by C. lunata after 11 days of contact. Both samples caused the distortion and collapse of the conidia of the phytopathogen when observed using electron microscopy at 96 h. The spectrum of M. depressa enriched antifungal action is a potential candidate to be a botanical fungicide in the control of C. lunata in cultivating habanero pepper. Full article

Habanero chili pepper has great economic importance in Mexico, but its production is limited due to different factors that affect quality. Given the high demand and prices of the fruit, the production of this crop is spreading to other regions in search of new production systems. The aim of this research work was to assess the yield and antioxidant components of the fruit by supplementing potassium from organic sources. The “Campeche”, “Palenque”, and “Jaguar” varieties were studied in five NPK treatments; replacing the % of potassium with humus and compost: (T1) 240-200-120+50% of K from liquid earthworm humus; (T2) 240-200-180+25% of K from liquid earthworm humus; (T3) 240-200-120+50% of K from vermicompost; (T4) 240-200-180+25% of K from vermicompost; and (T5) 240-200-240 (control, 100% chemical nutrition). For yield components, there were significant differences, highlighting the importance of the nutrition source for the yield and weight of fruits per plant. The control (T5) presented a value of 39 t·ha⁻¹ and was similar to treatments T2 and T3 with a supplement of 25 and 50% organic K. For the polar and equatorial diameter of fruit, as well as for plant height and leaf area, treatments supplemented with 50% organic K (T1 and T3) were more effective. For the varieties evaluated, no differences in yield and fruit weight were found; however, Campeche produced more fruits per plant with a greater equatorial diameter, while Palenque obtained fruits with a greater polar diameter and taller plants. The results of antioxidant compounds show that organic K supplementation improves the quality of total carotenoids, β-carotenes, and xanthophylls compared to 100% chemical fertilization, since total carotenoid content is improved by 54.2%, β-carotenes by 46.4%, and xanthophylls by 37.8%, respectively. The Campeche variety was the one that presented the best fruits with the highest antioxidant quality. These results indicate a positive effect of the combined application of chemical fertilizer with worm humus on yield and its components in pepper and other crops and show an economic, ecological, and sustainable alternative to the production of habanero chili pepper. Full article

Capsicum chinense, commonly known as the habanero pepper, is renowned for its culinary and medicinal value due to a great abundance of polyphenolic compounds. The pursuit of eco-friendly methods for extracting these metabolites, which produce high-purity extracts applicable to the food and pharmaceutical sectors, has led to the adoption of green technologies such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). In this methodology, by manipulating factors like temperature, pressure, and extraction time, the goal of producing extracts with elevated phenolic content from plant materials can be achieved. In this study, a central compound design (CCD) was conducted with the response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the extraction of polyphenols from Capsicum chinense using supercritical fluids. The optimal conditions for total polyphenol extraction were determined as 63.1 °C, 1161.82 psi, and an extraction time of 132 min, with a total polyphenol content (TPC) of 1870 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g extract. Additionally, concentration of several individual polyphenols were optimized, including catechin (236.27 mg/100 g extract, 62.8 °C, 1150 psi, and 132 min), chlorogenic acid (447.08 mg/100 g extract, 63.1 °C, 1150 psi, and 131.9 min), vanillic acid (136.38 mg/100 g extract, 41.9 °C, 1150 psi, and 132 min), diosmin + hesperidin (92.80 mg/100 g extract, 63 °C, 3200 psi, and 132 min), rutin (40 mg/100 g extract, 63.03 °C, 3200 psi, and 132 min), among others. These findings highlight the potential of supercritical fluid extraction for obtaining high yields of polyphenols from Capsicum chinese. The use of SFE-RSM also may optimize the extraction of specific phenolic compounds, and at the same time, it provides valuable insights for the development of extracts with enhanced bioactive properties for various applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Full article

Capsicum chinense Jacq., from the Yucatan peninsula, is recognized worldwide for its pungency, flavor, and secondary metabolites content. This has resulted in an increase in its production, which has led to an increase in the number of byproducts considered waste, mainly its leaves. Capsicum chinense leaves have been demonstrated to contain polyphenols with bioactive properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiobesogenic capacity, etc.); hence, the extraction of polyphenols through the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) with a green technology, such as an ultrasonic probe, could help to revalue these leaves by maximizing the extraction efficiency and preserving their bioactive properties. The objective of this study was to optimize the composition of a eutectic solvent for obtaining an extract rich in polyphenols from the Capsicum chinense leaf using a sonic probe. The optimum conditions of the composition of NADES for obtaining the highest Antioxidant capacity (Ax, 79.71% inhibition) were a 0.8 mol glucose to 1 mol of choline chloride ratio, and 12% water. In addition, with this composition, the Total Polyphenol Content (TPC) obtained was 165.39 mg GAE/100 g dry leaf, and the individual polyphenols, such as vanillin (19.15 mg/100 g dry leaf) and ferulic acid (1.35 mg/100 g dry leaf), were optimized. The habanero pepper leaf extract obtained using a eutectic solvent and a sonic probe demonstrated a high potential for use as an ingredient in the development of nutraceuticals (i.e., functional foods). Full article

Cancer is a relevant health problem worldwide. In 2020, leukemias represented the 13th most commonly reported cancer cases worldwide but the 10th most likely to cause deaths. There has been a progressive increase in the efficacy of treatments for leukemias; however, these still generate important side effects, so it is imperative to search for new alternatives. Defensins are a group of antimicrobial peptides with activity against cancer cells. However, the cytotoxic mechanism of these peptides has been described mainly for animal defensins. This study shows that defensin γ-thionin (Capsicum chinense) is cytotoxic to the K562 leukemia cells with an IC₅₀ = 290 μg/mL (50.26 μM) but not for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results showed that γ-thionin did not affect the membrane potential; however, the peptide modified the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and the intracellular calcium release. In addition, γ-thionin induced apoptosis in K562 cells, but the activation of caspases 8 and 9 was not detected. Moreover, the activation of calpains was detected at one hour of treatment, suggesting that γ-thionin activates the caspase-independent apoptosis. Furthermore, the γ-thionin induced epigenetic modifications on histone 3 in K562 cells, increased global acetylation (~2-fold), and specific acetylation marks at lysine 9 (H3K9Ac) (~1.5-fold). In addition, γ-thionin increased the lysine 9 methylation (H3K9me) and dimethylation marks (H3K9me2) (~2-fold), as well as the trimethylation mark (H3K9me3) (~2-fold). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a defensin that triggers caspase-independent apoptosis in cancer cells via calpains and regulating chromatin remodelation, a novel property for a plant defensin. Full article

The Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) is recognized worldwide for its unique organoleptic characteristics, as well as for its capsaicin content; however, other bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds with bioactive properties (mainly antioxidant capacity), have been extracted (ultrasound) and identified in this fruit. Moreover, the extracts obtained by ultrasound present a high sensitivity to environmental conditions, making spray drying a viable option to avoid the degradation of bioactive compounds while maintaining their properties after microencapsulation. Response surface methodology (RSM) has been used to optimize spray-drying conditions such as the inlet temperature (IT) and maltodextrin:extract (M:E) ratio. Thus, the objective of this work was to establish the optimal spray-drying conditions (IT and M:E) of a Habanero pepper extract with a final characterization of the spray-dried product. Results showed that the optimal spray-drying conditions included an IT = 148 °C with an M:E = 0.8:1 w/w, where the antioxidant capacity (38.84 ± 0.22% inhibition), total polyphenol content (6.64 ± 0.08 mg Gallic acid equivalent/100 g powder), and several individual polyphenols, such as Protocatechuic acid (26.97 mg/100 g powder), Coumaric acid (2.68 mg/100 g powder), Rutin (18.01 mg/100 g powder), Diosmetin (1.74 mg/100 g powder), and Naringenin (0.98 mg/100 g powder), were evaluated. The microcapsules showed a spherical shape with concavities and moisture less than 5%, and the inclusion of bioactive compounds was confirmed using UPLC and FTIR. The final dried product has the potential to be used as an ingredient for functional food development. Full article

The production of nanoparticles for biomedical applications (namely with antimicrobial and anticancer properties) has been significantly hampered using traditional physicochemical approaches, which often produce nanostructures with poor biocompatibility properties requiring post-synthesis functionalization to implement features that such biomedical applications require. As an alternative, green nanotechnology and the synthesis of environmentally friendly nanomaterials have been gaining attention over the last few decades, using living organisms or biomolecules derived from them, as the main raw materials to produce cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and ready-to-be-used nanomaterials. In this article and building upon previous knowledge, we have designed and implemented the synthesis of selenium and tellurium nanoparticles using extracts from fresh jalapeño and habanero peppers. After characterization, in this study, the nanoparticles were tested for both their antimicrobial and anticancer features against isolates of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and skin cancer cell lines, respectively. The nanosystems produced nanoparticles via a fast, eco-friendly, and cost-effective method showing different antimicrobial profiles between elements. While selenium nanoparticles lacked an antimicrobial effect at the concentrations tested, those made of tellurium produced a significant antibacterial effect even at the lowest concentration tested. These effects were correlated when the nanoparticles were tested for their cytocompatibility and anticancer properties. While selenium nanoparticles were biocompatible and had a dose-dependent anticancer effect, tellurium-based nanoparticles lacked such biocompatibility while exerting a powerful anti-cancer effect. Further, this study demonstrated a suitable mechanism of action for killing bacteria and cancer cells involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In summary, this study introduces a new green nanomedicine synthesis approach to create novel selenium and tellurium nanoparticles with attractive properties for numerous biomedical applications. Full article