By
Michael Muleme
Bell pepper, (Capsicum anuum L.) is one of the minimally
processed vegetables consumed in the United States (US). Different varieties of
bell pepper exist on the market ranging from the 3 or 4 lobed green types to
the red, orange and yellow hybrid varieties (3).
The flow of food for bell pepper involves different stages from seed production
to fruit consumption. Commercial seed production involves harvesting seeds from
ripe fruits by hand, modified meat grinders or industrial seed machines (1). Seeds with good germination vigor
are bright yellow and sink in water (1).
Water extraction, air drying and fungicide treatment of the seeds is carried
out (1). The seeds are then packed and
sold to both small and large scale farmers.
Image from http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/images/pepper_2.jpg
Bell pepper is
grown in warm environment [75oF - 85oF] (3, 5). Temperatures above 100oF
reduce pollination, fruit formation and yield (3). The crop is propagated by either direct seeding or transplants
(5). The seeds and transplants are
initially grown in nurseries before being transferred to the field. Greenhouses have been adopted by most
countries because they maintain a warm environment, shield crops from rain,
wind and high solar radiation, retain pollinators, eliminate pests and allow
production throughout the year (4, 5).
Soil grown bell pepper is fumigated with methyl bromide to control soil borne
diseases, nematodes, and insect pests (4).
In Greenhouses the bell peppers are usually grown in soil-less cultures of
partite, pine bark and peat mixes and no fumigation is done (4). Fertilizers containing phosphorus,
nitrate and potassium are applied before planting (3). Plants grow up to a
height of 6 feet in 250 days (3). The
plants stems need to be supported with bamboo stakes or poles from other trees
after pruning (3). In non-pruned
fields the plants are supported vertically by poles and horizontal twines
extended on both sides of the planting row (3).
Pepper flowers are naturally self-pollinated. In greenhouses, bumblebees are
used to ensure high quality of fruits (4).
After fruiting, non-marketable fruits are removed from plants as soon as they
are observed (3). Ripened fruits are
harvested 2-3 times a week (3). During
harvesting fruits are cut at the junction of the fruit peduncles and the stem
to reduce fruit rot (3).
Harvested fruits
are rapidly cooled by forced air at 90-95% humidity to minimize weight loss (4). Nearly all bell pepper is harvested
by hand in to bulk bins or trailers for transportation to the packing
facilities (3). Pepper can also be
waxed to provide surface lubrication for prevention of chafing in transit (4). During packing, the fruits are
sorted to remove non-marketable ones (3). Bell peppers are graded by size and
condition; sprayed with clean water and later packed in cartons (3). Bell
pepper is packed in moisture-retentive liners or in to perforated polyethylene
bags (3). Bell pepper is stored at 45oF
and relative humidity of 90 to 95% (4).
The fruits decay when removed from these low temperature conditions (4). Pepper should not be stored with
other ethylene producing fruits as these speeds up senescence (4).
Processing is can
also be done by either dehydration to prolong the shelf-life of the fruits (3). Dehydrated fruits should be
protected from discoloration. Storage should be at (0-10oC) and fruits
should be treated with sulphurdioxide at 3600 mg/kg (6). Pepper is used in the manufacture of dehydrated products,
pastes or sliced in to pieces to be eaten raw in salads and pizzas (2). Other
methods used in the preservation of bell pepper include heating and ionized
radiation (2). Recently fermentation
has been used to preserve pepper be stored at room temperature (2).
Pepper cartons
are packed in pellets, cooled and shipped by truck to terminal markets, wholesalers
across the United States and Canada. Wholesalers market the fruits to grocery
stores or restaurants (3). Consumers
purchase either fresh or dehydrated bell pepper from grocery stores. The
storage conditions described above should be maintained if bell pepper is not
for immediate consumption. Individuals may also consume bell pepper from
restaurants as pizza, chowder or salads. The domestic consumption of bell
pepper in the US rose from 1766.7 pounds in 1998 to 2,240.4 pounds in 2008 (8). 34.1 per cent of the domestic
consumption in the US is imported from Mexico, Netherlands, Canada, Israel and
Spain (4).
Image is from: http://img4.myrecipes.com/i/recipes/oh/08/pepper-pizza-oh-1733614-l.jpg
In the US, there
is an increased awareness of the nutritional, health and environmental effects
of food such that most consumers demand for organic food (7). Organic foods must not be genetically engineered, irrigated or
fertilized with human slurry (7). Herbicides
and pesticides should not be used in fields for organic food growth three years
to the onset of planting. Cover crops, crop rotation and fertilization with
animal manure are recommended to improve soil fertility to reduce the risk
introducing carcinogenic products in the food chain (7). Increased consumer demand of pepper is due to antioxidant compounds
like polyphenols, carotenoids and vitamin C in bell pepper which are known to
reduce risks of cancer and heart disease (2).
The consumer’s visual impression also determines the acceptability of the
product (6). Although color loss in
dehydrated fruits stored at low temperatures is negligible, consumers are able
to identify the change (6). Thus
dehydrated bell peppers constitute a secondary market and most markets sale
fresh bell pepper (6).
References
1.
Berke,
G. T. 2000. Hybrid Seed Production in Capsicum.
J. New Seeds 1 (3-4):49-66
2.
Cagno,
D. R., R. F. Surico, G. Minervini, and D. M. Angelis. 2009. Use of
autochthonous starters to ferment red and yellowpeppers (Capsicum annum L.) to
be stored at room temperature. Int. J.
Food Microb. 130:108–116
3.
Hartz,
T. and M. Cantwell. Bell pepper production in Calfornia. University of
Calfornia. Document number: 7217 http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/7217.pdf
last accessed 22/1/2012
4.
Jovicich,
E., D. J. Cantliffe, S. A. Sargent, and L. S. Osborne. 2009. Production of
greenhouse-Grown Peppers in Florida. Doc. No: HS979. Available at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs228 last accessed
22/1/2012
5.
Leskovar,
D. I., and J. Cantliffe. 1993. Comparison of plant establishment method,
transplant, or direct seeding on growth and yield of bell pepper. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 118(1):17-22.
6.
Sigge,
O. G., C. F. Hansmanw, and E. Joubert. 2001. Effect of storage conditions,
packaging material and metabisulphate treatment on color of dehydrated green
bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.). J. food Qual. 24:205-218
7.
US
Department of Agriculture. Organic production/ Organic food : Information
access tools, Available at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/ofp.shtml last accessed
on 22/1/2012
8.
US
Department of Agriculture. US Bell & Chile Pepper Statistics, USDA economic
research service: Table 1. Doc. No. 1659. Available at: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1659 last accessed
22/1/2012
