What's hotter...Ripe or unripe

1tom2go

1tom2go

I have some Butch T scorpion plants (lots of Bhut shaped pods on the plant also) that are producing like crazy, so I thought I would test something I have never done before but wanted to...the heat of ripe(red) versus unripe (green) pods.
 
So I picked a bunch of green pods at all stages and sizes, and then did the same with red ones.  I then dried them at 125 degF for a day or so until they were crunchy.  Then I took them to work, ground them, and will test them in a day or two.
 
SO....which do you think is hottest or will there even be a "real" difference?
 
 
Pics below:

 

 

 

 

 

I'll post the results in a day or two.
 
Ripe will rate higher as the test doesn't account for sugars, which lower the percieved heat. In actuality, the last moments of unripe should feel the hottest due to having developed all the capsaicin with none of the sweetness. Earlier stages of unripe will have less capsaicin and so both rate and feel weaker. At what exact point the last of the heat is developed, though, would be interesting to know.
 
Spicefreak is right on... From my understanding the capsaicin levels will be at their peak just before the peppers begin to ripen.  When ripening occurs, capsaicin production has platteaud and sugar production increases, thereby masking the subjective experience of heat
 
Student of Spice said:
Really, is this a real thing or are you messing with us
Click to expand...
 
 
I guess it's real, at least to me.  I was too busy today to set it up on the HPLC, but soon I promise.  If you guys have other ideas of things I could test let me know and I will see if I can do them.  One thing I have been wanting to do is test drying temperatures vs. SHU.  Everyone says if you dry it as such-and-such temp it will evaporate the capsaicinoids.  What temperature is that?  Temp. does affect color, but what about heat?  Someday...
Many of you answered the way everyone believes is right, which is probably true, that ripe is hottest.  So, we will see.  If this doesn't show us much I have lots of other peppers to try it on. -Tom
 
Noah Yates said:
Spicefreak is right on... From my understanding the capsaicin levels will be at their peak just before the peppers begin to ripen.  When ripening occurs, capsaicin production has platteaud and sugar production increases, thereby masking the subjective experience of heat
Click to expand...
 
I've never had a hot pepper so sweet it interfered with heat. There are sugars but you guys are talking like it's candy or a nectarine.
 
Nice experiment.
 
Well i figured red, as ive read peppers produce capsacin to deter some pests and mammals. If that was the case, the seeds are not usually viable till the pods are ripe, so the plant would keep producing capsacin until its offspring is viable.
 
Capsaicinoids decline upon ripening in some undomesticated species of Capsicum.My guess is these silly supers peak at the point of ripening.

Thanks for the experiment. Maybe you would be interested in testing some not so designer stuff???
 
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