Chili Burn
Capsaicinoids produce a burning sensation when the seeds and fleshy fruits of capsicum plants are eaten by mammals. The irritants protect the seeds from destructive mammalian digestive tracks. However, birds are not sensitive to capsicum and disperse the seeds without damage.
Capsaicin does not cause a chemical burn, but by binding to a vanilloid receptor, it signals the sensation of heat and abrasion to the brain. Dairy products (lipids) and alcohol (solvents) will alleviate the burning sensation. Water makes matters worse as the undissolved nonpolar capsaicin will be spread across the surface of the mouth among the polar water molecules.
Chili peppers are believed to have been consumed in the Americas since 7500 BCE but it wasn’t until Diego Álvarez Chanca brought the first chili peppers to Spain in 1493 that chilis spread around the world.
Wilbur Scoville first rated pepper strength in 1912 by combining various chili pepper extracts with sugar water until victims lost oral sensation. Today, we can measure the active chemicals capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin more accurately; One Scoville heat unit corresponds to one part capsaicin per 15 million.
| log(SHU) | Peppers by descending Scoville heat units |
|---|---|
| 7.2 | Pure Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin |
| 7.0 | Nordihydrocapsaicin |
| 6.9 | Homodihydrocapsaicin and Homocapsaicin |
| 6.7 | Police grade pepper spray |
| 6.3 | Common pepper spray |
| 6.0 | The Naga Jolokia (Capsicum frutescens) |
| 5.5 | Red Savina Habanero (Capsicum chinense Jacquin), Indian Tezpur |
| 5.0 | Habanero (Capsicum chinense Jacquin), Scotch Bonnet (Capsicum chinense) Birds Eye, Jamaican Hot, Carolina Cayenne, Bahamian, Tabiche |
| 4.5 | Red Amazon, Thai (Capsicum annuum), Malagueta, Chiltepin, Piquin, Super Chile, Santaka, Cayenne (Capsicum baccatum), Tabasco (Capsicum frutescens) |
| 4.0 | de Arbol, Manzano |
| 3.5 | Tabasco Habanero Sauce, Serrano, Hot Wax, Chipotle (smoked Jalapeño), Santaka, Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum), Guajilla, Tabasco Sauce |
| 3.0 | Tabasco Chipotle sauce, Rocotilla, Passila, Ancho, Poblano |
| 2.5 | Coronado, Tabasco Green sauce, Anaheim, New Mexico, Santa Fe Grande |
| 2.0 | Pimento, Pepperoncini (Tuscan, sweet Italian, Golden Greek) |
| 0.0 | Sweet Bell Pepper |
References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville
www.ushotstuff.com/Heat.Scale.htm
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