Abstract
Capsaicin is a pungent capsacinoid which differs in capsicum fruit within the species and the cultivars due to its topographical diversity. Here, a comparative estimation of capsaicin in seven varieties of capsicum has been performed by RP-HPLC method. The method was carried out in reverse phase C-18 column using acetonitrile and water (1% acetic acid) as mobile phase (65:35 v/v), at the flow rate of 1ml/min. The lambda(max) was detected at 230 nm. The calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 1-80 mu g/ml. The comparative study revealed that the capsaicin content was highest (3.12% w/w) in Capsicum annuum Cayenne whereas Capsicum cardenasii contains the lowest (0.85% w/w). The % RSD of precision and recovery was found to be < 2%, which confirms high repeatability of the method. This method can be commercialized at industrial level for ensuring the highest quality of capsicum used as raw material.