The Vacuum and Light-Avoided Packaging Ameliorate the Decline in Quality of Whole Chili During Storage

Vacuum packaging is a superior procedure that could maintain the quality of dried red peppers for a relatively longer period, while the effect of light avoidance was inconsistent and still needs to be evaluated under vacuum. Therefore, this study investigated vacuum packaging, and vacuum and light-avoided packaging influence the quality characteristics of dried chili peppers during 6 months storage. The results indicated that the quality characteristics of peppers gradually deteriorated: redness, extractable color, capsanthin, capsaicinoids, pungency, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity decreased, whereas moisture, water activity, browning index, lightness and brightness increased during storage. Vacuum packaging inhibited these changes compared with the control, and vacuum and light-avoided packaging maintained the quality with minimum changes during storage, with the highest redness, extractable color, capsanthin, capsaicinoids, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. These results suggested that light avoidance could further decelerate the loss of color, pungency and antioxidant capacity of dried peppers under vacuum, which could be due to lower water activity in this group. Overall, vacuum and light-avoided packaging could better retain dried chili peppers quality.