Pigmented peppers refer to pepper varieties specifically used to extract natural capsanthin (a high-value food additive and cosmetic colorant). The core of its color change principle is the large-scale synthesis and accumulation of carotenoids such as Capsanthin and Capsorubin. The process is a biochemical process that is precisely regulated by genes and initiated by plant hormones.

First, the degradation of chlorophyll

Green stage: young fruit stage, pepper peel cells contain a large number of chloroplasts, rich in chlorophyll. At this time, the fruit needs to carry out vigorous photosynthesis to provide nutrients for its own growth, and the green color of chlorophyll covers up all other pigments.

Start signal: When the fruit develops to the physiological maturity stage (basically fixed in size), the seeds begin to mature. Ethylene is produced inside the fruit, which is the master switch that starts the ripening of peppers.

Degradation process: Ethylene signals activate the activity of a series of enzymes (such as chlorophyllase), which begin to efficiently decompose chlorophyll molecules. As chlorophyll is rapidly degraded, the green color gradually fades and the fruit enters a period of revealing color.

Second, the synthesis and appearance of carotenoids

The synthesis and appearance of carotenoids are the most critical links in the color change of pigment peppers, which directly determines their economic value.

Transformation of pigment factory: In the green stage, the plastids in the peel cells are mainly chloroplasts that carry out photosynthesis. During the color change process, chloroplasts, under the control of hormones and genes, are transformed into chromoplasts that specialize in synthesizing and storing pigments.

Synthetic protagonist: capsanthin.

In the transformed chromatin bodies, metabolic pathways undergo dramatic changes. The biosynthesis pathway turns to the carotenoid pathway and produces a large amount of capsanthin and capsorubin, which are unique to peppers. These two pigments are very bright in color (bright red) and have strong coloring power.

Gene regulation: The entire synthesis process is precisely regulated step by step by multiple key genes to ensure that the metabolic flow efficiently flows to the synthesis of capsanthin.