SamuelWilson
02-04-2006, 09:56 PM
Hello fellow raw foodist, I would like to take this time to explain pepper hotness (heat level).
First, to know where peppers get their heat, you need to look within the plants tissue and its chemical structure.
Bitter alkaloid compounds called capsaicinoids, which include capsaicin (pronounced cap-SAY-sin), are produced in the cells near the membranes (ribs) and some cells of the outside walls of the peppers.
Capsaicin is sometimes called "capsicum" and you may have read on the forum where I refer to compounds within chiles that makes them hot is capsicum. However, capsicum is actually part of the scientific name of chile peppers.
The presence of the compound is dependent on a single gene. If that gene is lacking, as it is in red bell peppers, there is no heat. This is why a red bell pepper is no more hotter than a green bell pepper. Unlike peppes which contain the gene, like habaneros for example. A habanero will get hotter as the colors change from green to orange to red for example.
Despite what people may think, the seeds of chile peppers do not produce the compounds, but because of their close proximity to the ribs, where concentrations of alkaloids are the highest, the seeds absorb the capsaicin. Remove the interior membranes along with the seeds, and the heat of the peppers goes down considerably.
Just to give you an idea as to what percentage of heat is in the seeds and membrane, here is an example of a recipe that I made that turned out too hot.
I made Avocado Chutney, however, I decided to replace the red bell peppers with the equivalent amount of red fresno chile peppers, seeds, membrane an all. As I have stated in previous threads, red fresno chile peppers are not hot as long as you remove the membrane and seeds. I under estimated the power of those seeds and membranes. My Avocado Chutney was too hot to eat, the capsaicin was so prominent that you couldn't enjoy the chutney without your mouth burning and the tips of your fingers burning from the preparation.
I hope this information helps everyone to have a better understanding of hot chile peppers.
First, to know where peppers get their heat, you need to look within the plants tissue and its chemical structure.
Bitter alkaloid compounds called capsaicinoids, which include capsaicin (pronounced cap-SAY-sin), are produced in the cells near the membranes (ribs) and some cells of the outside walls of the peppers.
Capsaicin is sometimes called "capsicum" and you may have read on the forum where I refer to compounds within chiles that makes them hot is capsicum. However, capsicum is actually part of the scientific name of chile peppers.
The presence of the compound is dependent on a single gene. If that gene is lacking, as it is in red bell peppers, there is no heat. This is why a red bell pepper is no more hotter than a green bell pepper. Unlike peppes which contain the gene, like habaneros for example. A habanero will get hotter as the colors change from green to orange to red for example.
Despite what people may think, the seeds of chile peppers do not produce the compounds, but because of their close proximity to the ribs, where concentrations of alkaloids are the highest, the seeds absorb the capsaicin. Remove the interior membranes along with the seeds, and the heat of the peppers goes down considerably.
Just to give you an idea as to what percentage of heat is in the seeds and membrane, here is an example of a recipe that I made that turned out too hot.
I made Avocado Chutney, however, I decided to replace the red bell peppers with the equivalent amount of red fresno chile peppers, seeds, membrane an all. As I have stated in previous threads, red fresno chile peppers are not hot as long as you remove the membrane and seeds. I under estimated the power of those seeds and membranes. My Avocado Chutney was too hot to eat, the capsaicin was so prominent that you couldn't enjoy the chutney without your mouth burning and the tips of your fingers burning from the preparation.
I hope this information helps everyone to have a better understanding of hot chile peppers.