Nutritional and Biochemical Contents of Pepper (Capsicum spp)

         ABSTRACT

Pepper (Capsicum spp) belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is an important vegetable crop in Nigeria as it is one of the most varied and widely used foods in Nigeria as virtually every Nigerian home consumes it on a daily basis. The genus Capsicum represents a diverse plant group and includes twenty-seven species; five domesticated and twenty-two undomesticated (Bosland, 1993). The domesticated species are Capsicum annuum, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum chinense, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum pubescens. Peppers are quite different in appearance, nutritionally, phytochemically, microbiologically and in taste and may be classified by the trade according to the end use. Peppers grown for their characteristic hot flavours are of genus Capsicum, the species are majorly Capsicum annuum and Capsicumfrutescensto a lesser extent. These two species are also the most commonly consumed in Nigeria.Capsicum spp is an important source of vitamins, minerals, iron and phosphorus amongst other nutrients. It also contains phenolic compounds, flavonoids and carotenoids which are important health-protecting factors that help in the prevention of widespread human diseases.