Capsaicinoids are derivates of benzylamine. Among the capsaicinoids, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin together account for about 90% of pungency. Capsaicin, a homovanillic acid derivative (8-methyl-N-vanillyl6-nonenamide), is an active component of the red pepper. Capsaicin is a flavorless, odorless and colorless compound found in varying amounts in peppers.
The pungency of capsaicinoids and pepper containing preparations can be expressed in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) and the human palate can detect it even diluted in a 1 : 17 000 000 ratio. A widely used heat measurement of chili peppers is the SHU.
Scoville organoleptic test was used initially for measuring SHU. However, the traditional method has been replaced by a number of instrumental methods such as Gas chromatography (GC), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which are more reliable and accurate.
The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present in a particular pepper. This measurement is the highest dilution of a chili pepper extract at which heat can be detected by a taste panel. The scale was developed in 1912 by American chemist Wilbur Scoville, to rate the pungency or heat of peppers. The test involved a solution of a pepper extract diluted in sugar syrup until the heat is no longer detectable to a group of tasters. The amount of dilution (pepper & sugar syrup) provides a measure on the Scoville Scale.
Measuring chili pungency using Scoville Heat Units scale
