THE NEW NUMBER 1 CONDIMENT
Having said this, something as beneficial as capsaicin does not come without any trade-offs. Producing capsaicin takes a lot of energy, which is why some peppers are not spicy. In some cases it makes more sense to make a lot of fruit with less or no capsaicin, thus producing more seed, and getting offspring by overwhelming predators and plagues by sheer volume.


Chili peppers, also known as chile peppers, are the fruits of plants from the genus Capsicum. These peppers are widely used in cooking to add heat, flavor, and color to a variety of dishes. There are many different varieties of chili peppers, each with its own unique characteristics in terms of heat level, flavor, and appearance.
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New Mexico University points out that the Scoville scale is a subjective spiciness scale and some people can be more sensitive to capsaicin than others.
The Scoville Scale was developed in 1912 by Wilbur Scoville, a pharmacist from the United States. To determine the SHU, an exact weight of hot pepper is dissolved in alcohol to extract the capsaicinoids components. These components are then diluted in a solution of sugar water and decreasing concentrations are given to a panel of trained tasters until a majority can no longer detect them in a diluted form. The heat level is then rated based on this dilution in multiples of 100 SHU. This system was initially purely organoleptic but nowadays is measured using HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) to prevent any deviation from sensory fatigue or the chosen panel´s resistance.