Revealing the sterilization impact on paprika fingerprint: Key markers identified using untargeted metabolomics by liquid chromatography-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) is a popular spice known for its unique properties. Spices are susceptible to microbiological risks arising from harvest factors such as high moisture or environmental contamination. To ensure microbiological safety, post-harvest processing based on heat sterilization, free of chemicals and radiation, is becoming essential in the European market. This study introduces a novel metabolomics approach using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with quadrupole-Orbitrap-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to assess the sterilization impact on paprika's metabolomic composition. Sterilized and untreated samples were distinguished by OPLS-DA, achieving perfect predictability with high-quality parameters (R2Y = 0.988, Q2 = 0.904). The methodology identified 19 key markers, including fatty acids, amino acids, etc. Sterilization reduced fatty acids such as linoleic acid but increased other metabolites such as DL-malic acid and flazin. This research introduces new metabolomics strategies to ensure paprika quality and other valuable spices, focusing on unexplored sterilization processes.