Chili peppers and chili powders available on the Czech market: are they safe and authentic?

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60461373%3A22330%2F23%3A43927636" target="_blank" >RIV/60461373:22330/23:43927636 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

—

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

—

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Chili peppers and chili powders available on the Czech market: are they safe and authentic?

Original language description

Chili peppers and products thereof are considered a staple ingredient in cuisines around the world. However, food safety issues are of concern. Unauthorized and excessive pesticide residue levels in imported fresh chili peppers and chili powder have been often reported. High levels of multiple residues and aflatoxins were also found in chili samples within our preliminary study. As regards quality attribute which is to be assessed in chili, the content of capsaicinoids (compounds responsible for pungency) is of interest. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of fresh chili and chili powder obtained at the Czech market was performed. Over five hundred of pesticide residues and selected mycotoxins were screened in the samples, moreover, the content of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and nordihydrocapsaicin was determined. Multiple pesticide residues, even at levels exceeding the Maximum Residue Limits (Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005) were found, including chlorpyrifos and carbofuran, pesticides banned in EU. The occurrence of various mycotoxins was detected, too, with ochratoxin A exceeding the Maximum Limit (Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006). The classification of chili powders by Scoville heat units (SHU) declared by the supplier was correlated with chemical analyses of the above mentioned capsaicinoids, the compliance with the label declaration was found in most cases.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40500 - Other agricultural sciences

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů