What part of a capsicum is the hottest? Detailed answer

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What part of a capsicum is the hottest? Detailed answer

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What part of a capsicum is the hottest?

A whole generation of television chefs have led us to believe that the most pungent part of a capsicum is its seeds. But it's not.

Correct answer: the inner plate on which these same seeds are held. The plate (or membrane) contains the largest amount of the so-called capsaicin - a colorless and odorless substance, which gives the pepper its characteristic hotness.

The spiciness of capsicum is measured according to a special scale proposed in 1912 by the American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville and named after him. In his first tests, Scoville diluted alcoholic extracts of various peppers in sweetened water. And then he gave a group of tasters to try different varieties of "chili" in different concentrations until they no longer felt the heat. As a result of such experiments, a numerical scale was derived showing the specific spiciness of capsicum.

Jalapeno peppers, for example, have a spiciness rating of 4500 Scoville units (SHU), since they have to be diluted 1:4500 to lose their heat.

The hottest pepper in the world grows in Dorset, on the South West coast of England. "Dorset naga" (naga in Sanskrit means "serpent") Michael and Joy Michaud grew on a stalk brought from Bangladesh.

In 2005, "naga" was tested by two American laboratories and gave a truly "gorloder" result - 923 "scovilles". Even half a naga pod would render the curry completely inedible, and cracking a whole pod would secure a direct route to the nearest hospital. Despite all these horrors, 000 thousand naga pods are sold every year in the world.

To complete the picture, it should be noted that capsaicin in its pure form gives 15-16 million units on the Scoville scale. It is so pungent that pharmacists experimenting with it have to work in a special "toxicology chamber" equipped with powerful filters, and in fully enclosed protective suits in order to prevent air from entering.

According to various estimates, there are 3510 types of capsicum in the world today.

Author: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

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