Diversity and Potency of *Capsicum*

**3**

**Chapter 1**

**Abstract**

**1. Introduction**

were used for topical ointment.

Diversity and Potency of *Capsicum*

*Cristofora Hanny Wijaya, Manik Harda and Bunga Rana*

*Capsicum* spp., popularly known as chili pepper, is abundantly cultivated in Indonesia. Chili pepper has deeply integrated into Indonesian culture, even turned into inseparable ingredients in the local diets. Adapted to the Indonesian environment and timely selected according to the local palate, vast variation of appearance, color, taste, aroma, and pungency of chili pepper transformed into a variety of cuisines and medicinal purposes. This chapter covers a selection of chili peppers in Indonesia, introduced as "commonly available in the market," and some other variants, which are less popular; however, due to their unique flavors, they will be interesting to be introduced and addressed as "exotic *Capsicums*." This chapter will describe their botanical information, distribution area, and nutritional and flavor aspects, including their bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the utilization of genus *Capsicum* in Indonesia, from the food industry, pharmaceutical, and ornamental plants, will be described.

**Keywords:** bioactivity, *Capsicum* spp., chili pepper, flavor, Indonesia

Portuguese brought *Capsicums* to the eastern part of Indonesia, Maluku, in the seventeenth century and then widely distributed to other parts of the archipelago. It is assumed that the four species (*C. annuum*, *C. frutescens*, *C. chinense*, and *C. pubescens*) were introduced to Indonesia before World War II [1]. During that time, the Javanese called the plant "godong sabrang," which means a plant from a foreign country [2]. Later, in each region of Indonesia, *Capsicums*, especially chili or hot peppers might have different names, like "cengek," "lado," "lada," "cabe," "cabi," "lombok," "ricagufu," "serbeh ulom," "serbeh," and many others. However, officially, pungent members of *Capsicums* or hot chili peppers in Indonesia are called "cabai," while the sweet and nonpungent ones are called "paprika." From then on, in this text, we use the term "cabai" for hot peppers or chili peppers and "paprika" for sweet peppers. The *Capsicums* currently cultivated in Indonesia are quite different from those

first carried by the Europeans since they have been crossbred and undergone genetic changes due to adaptation to local environments and natural and human selection. The seeds of *Capsicums* cultivated in Indonesia are also distributed to neighboring countries and even to Macau, China [3, 4]. During that time, local inhabitants of Java Island used *Capsicum* fruits in their cooking, while the leaves

In some ceremonies in Java, sometimes, they put *Capsicums* on top of *tumpeng*, a traditional dish consisting of cone-shaped yellow-colored rice complemented

Indonesia also included *Capsicums* as part of their traditional ceremony and ritual.

spp. Grown in Indonesia
