A sensory lexicon to characterize the quality of fresh and preserved peppers.

Pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum) are economically important commodities worldwide due to their unique sensory profiles and rich antioxidant properties. With ongoing research efforts in optimizing the production and processing of peppers, there is a need for a standardized tool to evaluate the quality of peppers and pepper products. The objective of this work was to develop a sensory lexicon to characterize fresh and preserved peppers. A panel of 10 volunteers was recruited and trained in quantitative descriptive sensory analysis for a total of 37 h. Commercially available fresh, pickled, and roasted peppers were used to establish definitions, methods of evaluation, and reference materials for each unique attribute; and attribute intensities were scored on a scale ranging from 0 to 15. Commercially available fresh and preserved pepper samples (n = 22) were evaluated by the panel in duplicate to validate the lexicon. Principal component analysis was used to visualize differences among the products, and attribute redundancies were evaluated through analysis of correlations. This lexicon with 46 clearly defined terms that describe fresh, pickled, and roasted pepper products is comprised of 14 aroma, 19 flavor, 9 texture, and 4 chemesthetic attributes. Smoky, burnt, and cooked tomato flavors were typical of roasted red bell peppers, while the floral attribute was characteristic of fresh red bell peppers, and vinegar, pungency, and spicy notes characterized pickled peppers. The lexicon enabled the characterization and differentiation of a wide range of pepper products and lays the framework for quality evaluation and product improvement. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Breeders and processors are seeking technologies that ensure desirable quality of fresh and processed peppers for an extended shelf life. This sensory lexicon comprised of 14 aroma, 19 flavor, 9 texture, and 4 chemesthetic attributes serves as a basis for evaluating various strategies toward quality improvement, such as novel processing of pepper products.