Food Product Design: Spice Rack - January 2001 - Paprika

January 2001

Paprika

During a Turkish invasion of Hungary in the 16th century, a new crop was introduced to the land of the Magyars. This "Turkish pepper" grew so popular that a whole category of cookery — a series of dishes called "paprikashes" — was developed around this one spice.
In reality, paprika wasn’t Turkish at all. It was a product of the New World and native to the Western Hemisphere.

What is paprika?
Paprika always refers to a dehydrated, ground product. The brilliant red powder comes from the dried pods (fruit) of the plant species Capsicum annuum L. As such, it is part of a clan that ranges from sweet bell peppers to the very hottest of chilies. Since several varieties of Capsicum annuum L. are used to produce paprika, pods may differ in shape and appearance. Some have a round shape; others are elongated. In general, they are medium to small and quite fleshy. They grow on small plants, which are members of the Solanaceae family (e.g., tomatoes, potatoes and morning glory).

When ripe, the pods are picked and dried. They are either spread out to dry in the sun or dehydrated in specially constructed tunnels or continuous belt, multistage driers.

Paprika peppers are bred for color and flavor. A mixture of biosynthesized carotenoid pigments in the pod creates paprika’s yellow-orange to red-orange hue. The seeds and veins have negligible red color; when they are removed, the ground product’s extractable red color is more intense. Removal of vein material also may affect pungency, since a paprika pod’s pungency is found in the veins.

One of paprika’s interesting attributes is its high content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid); it also contains vitamin A.

The major types of paprika
Chile, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Israel, Morocco and Mexico all produce paprika. The African countries of Zimbabwe and South Africa have recently become important paprika producers. The following, however, are the major producing countries:

North America. For many years, California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas have been the major paprika suppliers to the American market. American paprika is scientifically cultivated and mechanically dried, making it possible to adjust moisture for maximum stability and retention of maximum color-extraction value. American paprika is red-orange in color, and American producers were among the first to standardize color, and ship uniformly throughout the year.

Spain. Over the years, Spain has supplied most of the imported paprika used in the United States. Spain produces a sweet paprika in a wide range of color values. Spanish paprika can be ground to the customer’s specification, but a medium grind, known as "free flowing," is normally shipped. Today, Spanish shippers sell paprika on the basis of ASTA color for extractable color. Spanish paprika is reddish-brown in color, and heavily used in the meat industry.

Hungary. Historically, Hungary was the second largest supplier of imported paprika to the United States, but in the past few years, the bulk of its crop has been sold in Europe. Hungarian paprika is bright red and has a distinctive flavor. It is in great demand in Europe, where it is used as a seasoning as well as a coloring agent. In recent years, Hungary has also produced sweet paprika to suit the requirements of U.S. buyers. Both "free flowing" and regular grinds are shipped for all types of Hungarian paprika.

What is good paprika?
Paprika is used primarily for its coloring properties, and sometimes for flavor. The end use determines which of these factors is most important and, therefore, which paprika is best for a particular buyer. In general, a high extractable-color rating enhances the value of paprika, but in many cases this also can be the most economical product to use, since less may be needed.

The term "extractable-color rating" (amount of color extracted by an appropriate solvent) is emphasized because surface color is not always a reliable indication of paprika’s ability to color food. Occasionally, paprika that looks richly red to the naked eye will deliver less extractable color than expected in a finished food product. This is because the surface color can vary with fineness of grind, amount of heat developed during processing and moisture content. Storage temperatures and humidity at the time of grinding may also affect the outward appearance. This is not to say, however, that surface color should not be considered; it should, along with the grind and the color extraction value, especially when garnishing is important.

Oleoresin paprika
Oleoresin paprika is an oil-soluble extract prepared from dried, de-seeded and ground paprika pods using a solvent. After extraction, the solvent is removed under vacuum to meet prescribed regulations. While several other countries also produce it in smaller quantities, the major producers of oleoresins are Spain, India, Morocco and the United States.

Oleoresin paprika is used in snack seasonings, sausage products, cheeses, soups and other foods where characteristic paprika coloring and flavor are desired. It can be standardized with vegetable oils to a wide range of ASTA color values and solubility characteristics for different applications. This flexibility often makes oleoresin paprika the product of choice where appearance on the finished product is the prime consideration. As with ground paprika, the oleoresin needs to be protected from strong light and excessive heat to avoid color degradation. Prior to use, containers should be stirred to ensure homogeneity.

Buying/using paprika
ASTA has an official method for measuring color. Today, this method is being used worldwide. When specifications call for paprika on the basis of standard ASTA color units, the buyer and seller can be assured they are speakng the same language. Commercially available standard paprika usually ranges from 65 ASTA color to 180 ASTA color.

The typical standard grind for retail pack paprika calls for 95% to pass through a U.S. Standard #40 (Tyler #35) sieve. However, the bulk buyer has a wide choice in grinds, depending on the preference and end use. The finer the grind, the greater the chances of caking, but there are product situations where a very fine grind may be indicated. Producers may add up to 2% silicon dioxide, a free-flow agent approved by the FDA.

Handling paprika
In general, paprika should be considered a semi-perishable product, and treated as such. It should be stored in a cool, dry place. During the summer, particularly in hot climates, cold storage (40&Mac251;F to 60&Mac251;F) is highly recommended. This will aid in color retention and guard against infestation. Conditions resulting in very low moisture in the product will decrease its color stability, whereas high moisture may result in mold growth. Exposure to light will also reduce color values.

Cold storage, with relative humidity of 50%, will aid retention of paprika color and flavor. In contrast, at temperatures of 80&Mac251;F and above, quality deteriorates rapidly. Longer storage is possible when the product is frozen.

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