## 3 Results and Discussion
### Physical Properties of Bell Pepper Samples  
The dry matter content in vegetables is a crucial factor influencing quality, storability, and nutritional value. High water content in plants can reduce the concentration of essential nutrients such as sugars, proteins, and fats, ultimately affecting their dietary value. Additionally, increased water content can promote the growth of microorganisms, further diminishing the raw material's shelf life. The dry matter content in fresh vegetables typically ranges from 5% to 25%, with values varying based on species, cultivation conditions, and technological processing parameters [36; 37]. Studies on bell peppers have shown that the dry matter content in the examined fruits ranges from 4.80% to 10.58% (Table 2). Fresh bell peppers displayed the highest dry matter content at 10.58%. Samples that underwent ultrasonic treatment showed a reduction in dry matter content, ranging from 16-24% before fermentation and 0-14% after fermentation. The dry matter values in these treated samples ranged from 8.03% (for peppers treated with ultrasonic immersion for 15 min) to 8.18% (for peppers not subjected to any treatment). The lowest dry matter content was observed in fermented samples, which ranged from 4.80% (for peppers treated with ultrasound for 30 min) to 5.60%. The dry matter content in bell peppers depended on the type of treatment and its parameters. The impact of ultrasonic treatment on dry matter content was significant, particularly with longer treatment durations. In the context of contact ultrasonic methods, an increase in treatment duration decreased dry matter content, with values ranging from 8.90% after 1 min to 8.18% after 5 min. Fermentation also substantially influenced dry matter content, especially in contact methods like sonication. Notably, samples that underwent sonication using the contact method for three minutes exhibited a dry matter content that was 12.59% lower than those that received five minutes of sonication (Table 2). It is hypothesized that physical phenomena such as cavitation may play a role in reducing dry matter content in bell peppers subjected to ultrasonic treatment. These processes contribute to tissue disintegration, the formation of microflows, and the leakage of mineral components into the surrounding medium [36; 38]. The reduction in dry matter content of samples treated with ultrasound or pulsed electric fields can be attributed to cavitation and electropermeabilization. These phenomena trigger various physical processes that affect tissue breakdown, the formation of microfluidic structures and, ultimately, the release of minerals into the environment. This effect has been previously documented by [PERSON] [39], who observed that ultrasonic treatment of carrot pulp increased the dry matter content of the juice, indicating a leaching of dry matter \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Sample**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**pH**} & **Dry Matter Before Fermentation** & **Dry Matter After Fermentation** \\  & & **(\%)** & **(\%)** \\ \hline Fresh & 3.05 \(\pm\) 0.01 a & 10.6 \(\pm\) 0.1 a & 5.6 \(\pm\) 0.1 f \\ US\_15 & 3.04 \(\pm\) 0.01 ab & 8.6 \(\pm\) 0.2 bc & 5.1 \(\pm\) 0.1 g \\ US\_30 & 3.02 \(\pm\) 0.01 bc & 8.0 \(\pm\) 0.2 e & 4.8 \(\pm\) 0.0 g \\ S\_1 & 3.06 \(\pm\) 0.01 a & 8.9 \(\pm\) 0.1 b & 5.1 \(\pm\) 0.0 g \\ S\_3 & 3.06 \(\pm\) 0.01 a & 8.4 \(\pm\) 0.0 cd & 4.9 \(\pm\) 0.1 g \\ S\_5 & 3.01 \(\pm\) 0.01 c & 8.2 \(\pm\) 0.1 de & 5.6 \(\pm\) 0.1 f \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Selected physical properties of bell pepper before and after fermentation. from the pulp. The extent of the decrease in dry matter content of the pulp was found to depend on the intensity and duration of the treatment, with higher reductions occurring at higher intensity and longer treatment times. Similarly, a decline in the dry matter content of fermented broccoli, carrots, and peppers was reported by [PERSON] et al. [40].