Comparative metabolomic profiling of tissue-specific Korean red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) powders from Subicho and Bulcolor cultivars
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Food Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, 17546 Republic of Korea
- 2Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
- 3The Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
- 4Department of Biological Environment, School of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon State 24341 Republic of Korea
- 5Enterprise Solution Research Center, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju, 55365 Republic of Korea
- 6Smart Manufacturing Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju, 55365 Republic of Korea
Abstract
Hot air-dried red peppers are consumed as spices worldwide for their color, flavor, and nutritional value. However, comprehensive metabolomic studies are limited. This study addresses this research gap by investigating metabolite profiles of two Korean red pepper cultivars (Subicho, landrace; and Bulcolor, virus-resistant cultivar) across three different tissues and two harvest time points. Comprehensive profiling using GC–QqQ MS, HPLC–DAD, and UHPLC–MS platforms identified 160 primary metabolites and multiple secondary metabolite classes including capsaicinoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols. The placenta of Subicho contained markedly higher levels of essential amino acids, whereas Bulcolor exhibited elevated sterols, tocopherols, and essential fatty acids associated with virus resistance. Capsaicinoid content was highest in the placenta tissues, especially in the Subicho at early harvest (16,879.5 ± 398.3 μg/g), whereas the pericarp tissues were the primary sites for carotenoid accumulation. Principal component analysis resolved clear separation (PC1: 58.9%, PC2: 30.8%) by cultivar, tissue, and harvest timing. The high-resolution cultivar-, tissue-, and harvest-specific metabolomic database established in this study provides a critical scientific reference for hot air-dried red peppers. This resource offers a foundation for optimized cultivar selection, targeted utilization of specific tissues, and rigorous quality assessment in breeding programs, industrial production, and evidence-based consumer decision making.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-026-02274-x.
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BibTeX
@article{yu2026comparative,
title = {{Comparative metabolomic profiling of tissue-specific Korean red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) powders from Subicho and Bulcolor cultivars}},
author = {Hahyeong Yu and Eunyoung Park and Ji-Ho Lee and Seoyeong Kim and Kyung-Hyung Ku and Jeong Hee Choi and Hyang Sook Chun and Jeong-Ho Lim and Jihyun Lee},
journal = {Food Science and Biotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1007/s10068-026-02274-x},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-026-02274-x},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comparative metabolomic profiling of tissue-specific Korean red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) powders from Subicho and Bulcolor cultivars
AU - Hahyeong Yu
AU - Eunyoung Park
AU - Ji-Ho Lee
AU - Seoyeong Kim
AU - Kyung-Hyung Ku
AU - Jeong Hee Choi
AU - Hyang Sook Chun
AU - Jeong-Ho Lim
AU - Jihyun Lee
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/03
JO - Food Science and Biotechnology
DO - 10.1007/s10068-026-02274-x
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-026-02274-x
AB - Hot air-dried red peppers are consumed as spices worldwide for their color, flavor, and nutritional value. However, comprehensive metabolomic studies are limited. This study addresses this research gap by investigating metabolite profiles of two Korean red pepper cultivars (Subicho, landrace; and Bulcolor, virus-resistant cultivar) across three different tissues and two harvest time points. Comprehensive profiling using GC–QqQ MS, HPLC–DAD, and UHPLC–MS platforms identified 160 primary metabolites and multiple secondary metabolite classes including capsaicinoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols. The placenta of Subicho contained markedly higher levels of essential amino acids, whereas Bulcolor exhibited elevated sterols, tocopherols, and essential fatty acids associated with virus resistance. Capsaicinoid content was highest in the placenta tissues, especially in the Subicho at early harvest (16,879.5 ± 398.3 μg/g), whereas the pericarp tissues were the primary sites for carotenoid accumulation. Principal component analysis resolved clear separation (PC1: 58.9%, PC2: 30.8%) by cultivar, tissue, and harvest timing. The high-resolution cultivar-, tissue-, and harvest-specific metabolomic database established in this study provides a critical scientific reference for hot air-dried red peppers. This resource offers a foundation for optimized cultivar selection, targeted utilization of specific tissues, and rigorous quality assessment in breeding programs, industrial production, and evidence-based consumer decision making. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-026-02274-x.
SN - 1226-7708
SN - 2092-6456
ER -