STABILITY OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN DEHYDRATED YELLOW MURUPI PEPPERS AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES AND DIFFERENT PACKAGING CONDITIONS.

C. chinense Jacq., murupi pepper, has its consumption associated with health benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds, however, its high water activity (Aw) affects the conservation of its attributes and time of commercialization. In this sense, the contents of bioactive substances in dehydrated yellow murupi peppers at different temperatures and different packaging conditions were monitored during 60 days of storage. About 3 kg ± 200 g of yellow murupi were harvested in the olericulture sector of the Agrotechnical School of UFRR and were selected for maturity, absence of damage and visual rot. The peppers were washed and sanitized in a chlorinated solution at 100 ppm and then cut and subjected to drying at temperatures of 60 °C and 70 °C until constant weight or water activity 0.2. They were then packed in matte kraft Stand up Pouch bags with Zip lock and capacity for 15 g in two packaging situations: bags with plastic display for exposing the product to light and bags without display for light exposure and kept at room temperature for 60 days. The analyses were performed every 15 days for the carotenoid variables by extraction with the acetone-hexane mixture in the ratio (4:6) and results expressed in β-carotene in mg 100 g-1 and phenolic compounds (FC) determined by the Folin Ciocalteau method with results obtained by the calibration curve with gallic acid, expressed in mg AGE 100g-1. The interactions between the isolated factors evaluation periods, temperature and packaging conditions were significant at 5% for β-carotene and FC