Formulation and production of Spiced Pepper (Capsicum chinenses Linn.) Cube

Pepper is a high perishables and seasonal fruit. The aim of this work was to reduce the post-harvest losses of Capsicum chinenses Linn. by diverting the preservation techniques and valorise the product. A survey was carried out in Ngaoundéré, Adamawa region, Cameroon to know the level of pepper consumption, and the ingredients commonly added in pepper sauces. A simplex lattice mixture design was used to optimise the pepper cube formulation, which was therefore characterized. The sensory evaluation was done to select the best sample among those produced. From the survey, 76.92% of the population consume pepper. Onion, garlic, white pepper, and pebe were found to be the spices commonly used along with pepper sauces preparation. The pepper cubes were obtained by incorporating onion and pebe at different proportions. The enriched pepper was formulated at the optimal condition of the basic ingredients which were 0.817, 0.133 and 0.05% respectively for pepper, white pepper and garlic. Sample 107 with the colours ranging between orange yellow and yellow, made up of 50% pepper, 32.5% onion and 17.5% pebe was selected through sensorial analysis by the panelist as the best specimen. This product exhibited about 50% of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. Practical Applications The pepper cube produced in this work is made up from local natural resources: pepper, garlic, onion, pebe and white pepper which contribute to the antioxidant capacity of the final product. Compared to the existing cube this can be used as natural antioxidant and does not content monosodium glutamate which is one of the main cause of hypertension.