Gas chromatography/sniffing port analysis and sensory evaluation of commercially dried bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) after rehydration

Cultivated, cut and commercially dried red bell peppers (origins Chile, Hungary, and Turkey) were rehydrated and then evaluated by descriptive and hedonic panels. The types of pepper did not differ significantly in sensory values for the attributes cucumber, cooked vegetables, burned, mushrooms, bell pepper, fruity, grassy/green vegetables, fresh, spicy and sweet. The bell peppers of Chilean origin were rated higher in sour, bitter, sharp and pungent attributes than the Turkish, and higher in bitter and pungent attributes than the Hungarian. The Hungarian rated higher in 'sour' than the Turkish. Volatile compounds were analysed by gas chromatography, using flame ionisation detection, mass spectrometry and sniffing port detection. Forty-six compounds were identified, 12 of which possessed odours: 2-methylpropanal (chocolate); 2- and 3-methylbutanal (chocolate); 2,3-butadione (caramel/butter); 1-penten-3-one (plastic/chemical); hexanal (grassy/green); heptanal (lemon/orange); β-ocimene (fish/rotten/sickly); trans-3-hepten-2-one (mushrooms); dimethyltrisulphide (rotten/onion/leek); 2-methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine (bell pepper); and β-cyclocitral (fruity). The compositions of the volatiles were similar for the three origins, although the Hungarian one generally exhibited the largest peak areas. The bell peppers from Chile were appreciated more by the panel than the ones from Turkey. This was probably due to the higher intensity of taste attributes (sour, bitter, sharp and pungent) because composition of the volatile compounds and intensity of odour attributes were similar for both origins.