NUTRITIONAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CONTENTS OF THREE SPECIES OF PEPPER OF ODEDA COMMUNITIES, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

The study evaluated nutritional values, phytochemical and antinutrient contents of three (3) pepper species; Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens var. acuminatum, and Capsicum frutescens var. grossum. Data were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) of statistical analysis system (SAS) at P < 0.05. Results revealed that Capsicum frutescens var. grossum had highest crude protein (0.92 mg/100 g), fat (0.23 mg/100 g), total nitrogen (0.15 mg/100 g), potassium (711.74 mg/100 g), calcium (9.82 mg/100 g), iron (0.51 mg/100 g), magnesium (10.64 mg/100 g), zinc (0.13 mg/100 g), vitamin A (0.586 mg/100 g), Vitamin B (0.066 mg/100g), alkaloids (0.47 mg/100 g), and saponnins (0.111 mg/100 g), Capscicum frutescens var. acuminatum contained highest carbohydrate (62.96 mg/100 g), copper (0.06 mg/100 g), vitamin E (0.64 mg/100 g), steroids (0.031 mg/100 g), anthocyanins (0.021 mg/100 g), tannin (0.037 mg/100 g), oxalate (0.018 mg/100 g), trypsin inhibitor (0.017 mg/100 g), and cyanogenic glycoside (0.003 mg/100 g) content, while Capsicum annuum recorded highest values in ash (0.26 mg/100 g), crude fibre (0.92 mg/100 g), moisture content (47.47 mg/100 g), vitamin C (89.14 mg/100 g), flavonoid (1.86 mg/100 g), phenol (0.026 mg/100 g), and phytate (0.079 mg/100 g). In conclusion, all the three pepper varieties investigated contained appreciable amounts of nutrients.