Stuff You Should Know Selects: How Chili Peppers Work
Feb 20, 2021
Chili peppers have an intriguing history, tracing back to South America and their introduction to Europe by Columbus. The podcast reveals the surprising use of chili-related music in torture settings and explores the science behind their heat, including the famous Scoville scale. Learn how peppers can impact mood and the concept of benign masochism found in spice lovers. With practical tips on handling spice and the vibrant community of chili enthusiasts, the episode serves up both laughs and valuable insights about these fiery fruits.
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Scoville Heat Scale
- Wilbur Scoville, a pharmacist, developed the Scoville Organoleptic Test in 1912 to measure pepper heat.
- Before this test, pepper heat was subjectively assessed by having people taste them and describe the sensation.
Scoville Heat Unit
- The Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) quantifies a pepper's heat, indicating how much water is needed to neutralize it.
- A habanero can reach 500,000 SHU, meaning it takes 500,000 cups of water to dilute one cup of extract.
Modern Pepper Heat Measurement
- Since the 1970s, liquid chromatography has measured capsaicin levels in peppers, replacing the Scoville test.
- Multiplying the chromatography result by 16 yields the Scoville unit, validating Scoville's method.