Physical, Nutritional Characteristics and Bioavailability of a Chili Pepper Cultivar (Capsicum annuum) Grown in Eastern C？te d'Ivoire

The valorization of a chili pepper cultivar (Capsicum annuum) requires from the start information such as the physical and nutritional characteristics for a good exploitation of the fruits. The results indicate that the physical characteristics of the fruits of this chili cultivar are not influenced by the stage of ripening. The color of the fruits from the green stage to the red stage of ripening with the respective values of a * -0.33 to 1.68 for the ratio a * / b * in relation to the colors. The length of the fruit varies between (51.93 ± 0.78 cm and 31.5 ± 0.75 cm) and the width is between (1.69 ± 0.12 cm and 1.58 ± 0.19 cm) respectively for green and red fruits. At the nutritional level, the analyzed parameters showed a high moisture content (80.11 - 86.56%) in pepper fruits as well as a very low proportion of protein at all stages of ripening. The lipid content varies between 9.57% and 11.10% and the fiber content 2.19% to 2.74%. Subsequently, the molar ratios of phytate / calcium, phytate / iron, phytate / zinc, (phytate, calcium / zinc) and oxalate / calcium (Ox / ca) in the green pepper cultivar are 0.17, respectively 0.47; 5.96; 3.13-10^-4 and 3.87. Unlike the Ox / ca molar ratio, the different molar ratios are below the recommended critical values. The nutritional composition of this chilli cultivar is leading to a new source of food ingredients