ABSTRACT
Three local varieties of pepper readily available namely: Capsicum
annum L Tattasai (Hausa), tatase (Yoruba) Capsicum annum G. Attarugu
(Hausa), Atarodo (Yoruba) and Capsicum frutencens, Barkono (Hausa), Ata
wewe (Yoruba) were analysed for some essential mineral and ascorbic acid
contents. Flame ehiission and atomic absorption spectroscopy were used for
essential minerals determination and AOAC indophenol method for ascorbic
acid. The effect of drying on ascorbic acid content of the freshly harvested
pepper was also studied. In addition the relationship between the source soil
mineral content and that of the peppers grown on it was investigated.
It was found that the fresh samples from the farm contained more
ascorbic acid than the samples from the market. The samples from the farm
and market follow the pattern: Barkono > Attarugu > Tattasai.
About 50 to 60% of the ascorbic acid content was observed to be lost
as a result of drying. In all the three varieties of peppers, potassium was
observed to be the most abundant element and calcium the least.
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