Abstract
Provitamin A carotenoids($\alpha$- $\beta$-carotene lutein capsanthin) cintents in various red pepper and red pepper products were analyzed by HPLC and UV/VIS spectroscopy. The amounts of $\beta$-carotene and capsanthin were at its highest in powdered red pepper and lutein in red pepper leaves. There are little $\alpha$-carotene present in all samples analyzed. So vitamin A activity was calculated only from $\beta$-carotene content. Capsanthin and $\beta$-carotene contents of red pepper were higher than those of green pepper whereas lutein content of red pepper was lower than that of green pepper. whereas lutein content of red pepper was lower than that of green pepper. Vitamin A activity from colorimetric analysis was higher than that from chromatographic method and results were not generally in accordance with the vitamin A data presented in current food composition tables. Vitamin A activities in retinol equivalent(R. E. ) of green pepper red pepper powdered red pepper fermented red pepper paste and red pepper leaves were 70, 570, 1, 340, 140, 980 R. E respectively.
