Ground Urfa isot peppers with high content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity

Urfa isot pepper is one of the most important spices in the diet of Turkish people; particularly of those in the Sanliurfa region. This is the first study reporting the bioactive compounds (beta-carotene, lycopene, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, capsaicin) and antioxidant activity of ground Urfa isot peppers produced both at homestads and factories. Factory-made red-blackish isot pepper showed the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity, followed by homemade red-blackish isot pepper and homemade red isot pepper. FRAP values of all Urfa isot peppers were statistically in the same group. Homemade red isot pepper had the highest total phenolic content, lycopene and beta-carotene. The capsaicin content of ground Urfa isot peppers varied from 0.15-1.2 mg/g of pepper. The homemade red-blackish ground pepper had the highest ascorbic acid level. Phenolics of peppers were remarkable and higher than those reported in the literature. With their high number of phenolic constituents, as well as other bioactive compounds, ground Urfa isot peppers can be considered an important nutritional and functional food resource.