Effects of cooking methods and temperatures on quality and safety of dried red peppers (Capsicum annuum L.)

Dried red peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are widely used in various cuisines. This study investigated the effects of different cooking methods, including pan-grilling and stir-frying, on the formation of quality-related compounds (volatile components and capsaicinoids) and safety-related compounds [furan, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and acrylamide] in dried peppers. In addition, the changes in quality and safety indicators for each cooking temperature (180 °C and 220 °C) were also investigated. The increase of heating temperature resulted in higher contents of ketones, furans, and furanones, but also led to a more significant decomposition of capsaicinoids. In particular, the content of furan significantly increased during stir-frying at higher temperatures, while those of PAHs showed no significant difference regardless of heating conditions. In the case of acrylamide, its contents in the pan-grilling and stir-frying samples cooked at 220 °C (2840 and 2800 μg/kg) were significantly higher than those in the samples heated at 180 °C (1180 and 1010 μg/kg). Our results showed that both safety and quality aspects should be considered when dried red peppers are used for pan-grilling and stir-frying of foods.