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How much does ripeness affect the heat?

Stone

Stone

Hi guys,

I have some little TS Butch T fruit that are dark orange and about to go red in the next few days but I'm seeing some friends tonight who wanted to try them. I won't see these friends again for 3-4 weeks so I don't think the fruit would last long enough once ripened properly. Will there be much difference in the heat from being fully ripe? I fed them red habs last time and they just got a light sweat and glassy eyes, I don't want them to be able to handle these :lol:


Thanks :)
 
No one has eaten a slightly unripe chilli to compare to a fully ripe one???? :shocked:

Anyway, it's still damn hot... Seemed hotter than my friend's fully ripe Butch T chillies.
 
I don't remember where I read it, but a scholarly article I read said that the maximum capsaicin content of a pepper was when the pod first started turning to it's ripe color, after that, some of the capsaicin was used in sugar production making ripe pods sweeter than green...
 
AlabamaJack said:
I don't remember where I read it, but a scholarly article I read said that the maximum capsaicin content of a pepper was when the pod first started turning to it's ripe color, after that, some of the capsaicin was used in sugar production making ripe pods sweeter than green...
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I believe I read the same thing you did AJ. I don't remember where either. I would say from my experience that this holds true.
 
My finding is, that early pods, like pods at the end of the season, when it´s getting cooler, do not exhibit maximum heat of the variety.
In early season the pods are small with less seeds or even no seeds and vary from low to moderate heat, even if you handle a superhot variety.
For sure a unripe not fully colored pod has less heat, even in mid season.

Older studies show that heat increases until the pods reach a certain point of maturity and then declines.
For the varieties investigated a maximum around 40-55 days after setting of the fruits was found. (i.e. http://www.elhadiyahia.net/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Contreras-Yahia.%20Capcaicinoids%20JAFC.%201998.pdf )
and then the Capsaicin content declines rapidly.
I don´t know if the maximum heat coincides with the point where the pods begin to soften or if it´s some days earlier.

If this older findings are a rule, new world records will depend strongly on "when" you collect the pods for Capsaicin measurements and a new record holder will not be found if harvested too early or too late!

Peter
 
It may depend on the pepper and species too. Some peppers may have evolved hotter to defend against mammals, while others may have evolved to attract birds
 
Thanks guys :)

It tasted pretty similar to my friend's fully ripe one, but it's hard to tell differences when they're so hot.
 
jsschrstrcks said:
How did your friends fare? Glassy eyed? or full on trauma with hiccups and vomiting?
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One didn't turn up and the other was too scared to try even half of one. He just had a thin slice and was shocked at how hot it was. I was glassy eyed and drooling again, I'm beginning to love it :D


kiddc said:
hottest weather + peppers before they truly ripen = maximum heat for that strain of pepper.
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My Butch was so slow it took 1 month after summer before fruit even appeared and then another month to ripen. Hopefully if it survives winter, it will fruit a bit earlier during summer next time.
 
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