The effect of drying conditions using a food dehydrator on the physical and chemical characteristics of red cayenne pepper powder (Capsicum frutescent L.)

Abstract

Red cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) is an important horticultural commodity in Indonesia with high demand; however, its high moisture content makes it highly perishable. One way to extend its shelf life is to process it into powder through drying. Drying using a food dehydrator is considered more effective because it allows precise control of temperature and time, which affects the final product quality, including moisture content, color, and vitamin C, β-carotene, and capsaicin levels. This study aimed to determine the effects of different drying temperatures and durations using a food dehydrator on the physicochemical characteristics of red cayenne pepper powder. A Completely Randomized Factorial Design was used with two factors: drying temperature (50, 60, and 70°C) and drying time (16, 20, and 24 h), resulting in nine treatment combinations with three replicates. The parameters observed included moisture content, yield, color (L*, a*, and b*), vitamin C, β-carotene, and capsaicin content. The results showed that increasing temperature and drying time significantly decreased the moisture content, yield, and vitamin C content, while increasing the brightness and redness of the pepper powder. β-carotene content increased at moderate temperatures and decreased at higher temperatures, while the highest capsaicin content was found at 60 °C for 20 h (998.96 ppm or 16,083.33 SHU) and decreased at 70 °C. Overall, drying at 60 °C for 20 h produced red cayenne pepper powder with optimal physicochemical quality.