Color as a Predictor of Chili Content

Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the important commodities among Indonesian society. It is useful for flavoring Indonesian cuisine because it has a spicy flavor and contains the nutrients and vitamins needed by the human body. To date, the quality of chilli is determined by the color, size, shape, and defect level. Color is an important quality attribute because it reflects the level of freshness and maturity. This study aims to develop mathematical models that are able to predict the content of chili which includes vitamin C and total carotene based on L*a*b color values. Chili samples at various developmental stages were obtained from the farmers. Samples were measured for color using Chroma meter and vitamin C as well as total carotene contents. The model was developed using Multiple Linear Regression methods. The results showed that the models for predicting vitamin C and total carotene content had adjusted R2 values of 0.893 and 0.675, respectively. Both models can be used to predict the chemical content of chilli ranging from green to red.