Scientists discover natural compounds that tame pepper heat

A new study identified three natural compounds that actually inhibit the fiery heat of chili peppers, challenging the century-old Scoville scale used to measure pepper heat.

The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, reveals why some peppers with high capsaicin levels don’t taste as hot as expected and may bring new possibilities for culinary applications and pain management therapies.

The secret of losing calories

Chili lovers and food scientists have observed for years that some peppers don’t pack their chemical characteristics suggest they should do it. So far, this difference between measured capsaicin content and perceived spicy taste has confused the researchers.

“Discovering natural dietary compounds that reduce spicy foods present promising opportunities for the food and pharmaceutical industries,” explained Devin Peterson, the corresponding author of the study.

The traditional Scoville scale was developed in 1912 to measure pepper heat based on capsaicin and dihydrogen capsule concentrations alone. But this new study shows that other compounds in peppers can significantly change our calories.

Test the peppers

The researchers examined ten kinds of peppers, Serrano, the eyes of African birds, fatalii and Scottish caps, including ten kinds of pepper varieties. Each pepper is processed into powder and the chemical composition is analyzed. Then there’s the real test – the human taste tester.

Although standardized each sample contains exactly 800 Scoville hot units of capsaicin, the taste tester reported that the thermal intensity of the pepper varieties differed significantly. This confirms that other things in the pepper are changing the feeling of burning.

Three heat compounds were identified

Through complex chemical and statistical analyses, the researchers identified five potential compounds that could inhibit spicy taste. Follow-up tests confirmed three specific compounds as effective inhibitors:

• Capsianoside i
• Rose race
• gingerglycolipid a

It is worth noting that none of these compounds have any detectable odor when dissolved in water – they simply reduce the burning feeling of capsaicin without adding any competitive flavor.

The team found that although each compound independently reduced heat perception, it did not produce a stronger inhibitory effect. This suggests that they can work through similar biological mechanisms.

Beyond the world of cooking

The meaning of this discovery goes far beyond the kitchen. Peterson envisions a variety of applications: “These advances can achieve an ideal spicy flavor profile or lead to the creation of home ingredients designed to regulate excessive calories (anti-spice) of the dishes.”

But perhaps the most attractive thing is the potential medical applications. “In addition, they have great medical potential in the design of (non-opioid) painkillers,” Peterson added.

Given that capsaicin itself is already used in topical pain relief products, this connection makes sense. Understanding compounds that naturally regulate their effects may lead to more complex pain management tools, especially in the presence of ongoing attention to opioids.

Rethink pepper heat

This discovery challenges our understanding of making pepper hot. While capsaicin is still the main producing compound, this study shows that the true spicy taste of pepper is caused by the more complex interactions of chemicals.

Will this lead to a revised Scoville scale to explain these inhibitor compounds? Or can new varieties with customized calories be developed by manipulating these newly identified compounds?

As researchers continue to explore these heat-suppressing compounds, consumers may eventually see new products designed specifically to tame overspicy flavors – imagine sprinkling with flour can rescue overheated curries or make spicy foods easier to get sensitive tastes in.

The study was funded by the Ohio State University Center for Flavor Research and Education and was conducted by an experimental method approved by the University Ethics Committee.