The Effect Of Temperature And Storage Time On Vitamin C Content In Bird's Eye Chili (Capsicum Frutescens) And Curly Chili (Capsicum Annum L) In Maluhu Tenggarong

Abstract

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is susceptible to degradation due to environmental conditions, particularly temperature and storage duration. Curly peppers (Capsicum annum L.) and cayenne peppers (Capsicum frutescens) are commonly consumed sources of vitamin C. Exposure to heat, light, so improper storage can significantly reduce the content of this nutrient. This study aims to determine the effect of temperature and storage duration on vitamin C levels in curly peppers and cayenne peppers. This study uses a descriptive cross-sectional design. Chilli samples were collected from plantations in Tenggarong, Maluhu, and stored for 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days under two temperature conditions: room temperature (18–28°C) and cold temperature (5–10°C). Vitamin C content was measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 287 nm. The results showed that the vitamin C content in both types of chilli decreased significantly with increasing storage time, both at room temperature and cold temperature. The greatest decrease occurred in cayenne peppers stored at cold temperatures (21.15%), followed by curly peppers at room temperature (21.06%), cayenne peppers at room temperature (19.54%), and curly peppers at cold temperatures (19.54%). Statistically (P-Value 0.00<0.05)