Piri piri or African bird’s eye chilli peppers
Steidi/Alamy
Have you ever accidentally made your food too spicy? Imagine a future where you can reach for an “anti-spice” condiment to balance out the heat of a dish. This possibility arises from the discovery of certain chemicals found in chilli peppers that can counteract their spicy sensation.
The heat in chilli peppers comes from compounds called capsaicinoids. These compounds bind to receptors on nerve fibres in the mouth, sending signals to the brain that result in a burning sensation similar to that caused by heat or a sting.
Chilli peppers are often rated on the Scoville scale, which measures the concentration of capsaicinoids. However, some varieties of chilli peppers are not as hot as their Scoville rating suggests. To investigate this discrepancy, Devin Peterson from Ohio State University and his team used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the amounts of two capsaicinoids – capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin – in powdered samples of various peppers.
In a taste test where tasters were given samples of tomato juice containing powder from different chillis, it was found that certain compounds in the chilli powder, namely capsianoside I, roseoside, and gingerglycolipid A, were present in high quantities in peppers that were less intense than expected based on the Scoville scale. These compounds are glucosides containing the sugar glucose.
In another tasting experiment, it was revealed that these suspected “anti-spice” compounds reduced the chilli intensity by an average of 0.7 to 1.2 points on a 15-point scale. This led Peterson to label them as effective anti-spice compounds, although the exact mechanism of how they work is still unknown.
Peterson suggests that this discovery could have implications for breeding or genetically modifying chilli plants to either enhance their spiciness or decrease it by manipulating the levels of these anti-spice compounds. Additionally, these compounds could potentially be used to create a household ingredient for toning down excessive heat in dishes or as pain relievers by blocking pain signals.
Barry Smith from the University of London’s School of Advanced Study praised the study for its innovative approach and highlighted the limitations of the Scoville scale in accurately describing the heat level of chilli peppers. He also raised the question of whether similar compounds could be used to reduce the intensity of cooling sensations caused by menthol or mint.
Topics:
