Concentrated juice Sweet pepper wholesale Vegetable puree Sweet pepper wholesale

Sweet pepper: The record-breaking vegetable and the «Bulgarian» paradox

• Etymology and the «Bulgarian» phenomenon: The name derives from the Sanskrit pippali. The name «Bulgarian pepper» is used only in the CIS, because it was Bulgarian breeders who, in the 20th century, developed the largest and sweetest varieties that became the benchmark.
• Ancient roots: The pepper's homeland is Central America. Indigenous peoples began cultivating it more than 6000 years ago. Columbus brought it to Europe while searching for black pepper and instead found a «red spice» — a completely new species of plant.
• A botanical berry: From a scientific point of view, pepper is a many-seeded berry, like the tomato. The culinary definition of «vegetable» stuck to it because of the way it is eaten.
• Green is not always a variety (Rare fact): Most green peppers are unripe red or yellow fruits. They have a slight bitterness and contain fewer sugars, which is valued in the production of specific sauces.
• Vitamin champion: Red sweet pepper is the record holder for vitamin C content among vegetables. It contains 4-5 times more of it than a lemon. 50 grams of pepper provide the daily requirement of vitamin C.
• Lycopene and heart health: The red colour of pepper is due to lycopene and capsanthin. These antioxidants protect blood vessels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Global geography and harvest: We ensure supplies of fresh puree during the harvest period in Spain, Italy and Russia (August – October). This allows us to process pepper at the peak of its biological ripeness.
• Male and female peppers (Rare fact): Fruits with three bumps at the bottom are considered «male» (denser, for heat treatment), while those with four are considered «female» (sweeter and softer).
• Product history: Industrial puree production began in the 1960s in Bulgaria and Hungary. Vacuum technologies allow us to concentrate the puree at low temperatures, preserving vitamins and colour.