Analysis of Volatiles of Rose Pepper Fruits by GC/MS: Drying Kinetics, Essential Oil Yield, and External Color Analysis

Condiments and culinary supplements are subjected to long-term storage and may undergo physical, chemical, and biological changes that can influence their quality. )us, the objective of the present study was to analyze the drying kinetics of rose pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) fruits in an oven with forced air circulation at different temperatures, namely, 45, 55, 65, and 75°C, and determine the effective diffusion coefficient and activation energy using different mathematical models. Furthermore, the effects of the different drying temperatures were analyzed for external color parameters and yield of essential oil contents by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer. Of the ten models used for fitting, )ompson’s model was one with the best fitting to represent the drying of rose pepper fruits. )e diffusion coefficient increases with the elevation of drying air temperature, described by the Arrhenius equation, with activation energy of 53.579 kJ·mol− 1. )e color of the fruits decreased in lightness (L∗) with the increase in temperature. Of the thirty-eight terpenes identified, α-pinene and cis-ocimene were the most abundant, with the overall highest yield being found at a drying temperature of 45°C. )e authors acknowledge the Laboratory of Post-Harvest of Plant Products, Laboratory of Natural Products, CAPES, FAPEG, FINEP, CNPq, CONAB, and IF Goiano, Campus of Rio Verde, for the indispensable financial support to conduct this study. )e authors are also grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). L. Barros acknowledges FCT, P.I., for the national funding through the institutional scientific employment program contract. M. Carocho acknowledges FCT for the individual scientific employment program contract CEECIND/00831/2018. )is work was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0247-FEDER- 113508: Bio4Drinks®, which T. Finimundy acknowledges. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion