Reference Bentalphanerd's Post Under Omri's thread

[AlabamaJack]

I find that certain peppers hit different parts of your tongue & try to balance that without losing the flavor I was aiming for at the start....!

Bent, you have hit on the exact thing that got me into pepper gardening a few years ago. Trying to create that "perfect" burn from front to back that was balanced but not too hot to eat.

From a somewhat simplistic approach, I decided to research the different capsaicinoids. The four descriptions below is all I found out of the seven (I think) capsaicinoids.

Capsaicin - "sharp and stinging bite" located "in the mid-mouth and mid -palate as well as the throat and the back of tongue" that developed quickly and was long lived.

DiHydroCapsaicin - "sharp and stinging bite" located "in the mid-mouth and mid -palate as well as the throat and the back of tongue" that developed quickly and was long lived

HomoDiHydroCapsaicin - a "very irritating, harsh, and very sharp numbing burn" located in the throat and the back of the tongue and palate that developed and "was prolonged and difficult to rinse out"

NorDiHydroCapsaicin - Mellow, warming effect with immediate build and rapid fade located in the front of the mouth and palate

After I found this information on the capsaicinoids, I decided to try and find out which peppers had what amounts of the different "noids". Below is what I have found so far but the information only addresses capsaicin (C), dihydrocapsaicin (DHC), and nordihydrocapsaicin (NDHC). Units are Scoville Units.

As I continue gathering information on the "noids" and which peppers have what amounts of each, I am constantly thinking about creating hybrids with a balanced capsaicinoid make-up. This is the direction my pepper gardening is going.

How to tell which hybrids are going to have the correct content of the "noids" is going to be the tricky part.

It seems this would be a life long doctorate research for creating hot pepper hybrids in order to get the even split between the burns based on capsaicinoid content.

Anyone know how much a scoville test on a pepper costs? Or, does anyone know anyone that is interested in this type research.

 

[cheezydemon]

I wonder if that is right? Interesting info! It just looks like the orange hab is hotter than the naga.

I am excited to taste the jalabanero (just got seeds). Jalapenos have that point of contact heat that hits you as soon as it hits your tongue, while someone can eat a whole hab and not start spraying foam and spit for a good 6 seconds.

 

[POTAWIE]

Thats a Naga Jolokia not a "real" naga

 

[POTAWIE]

I've been quite interested in the different burns of peppers too, but not in such a quantitive way. I just know I love the burn of scotch bonnets on the side of my mouth more than the back of the throat chocolate habanero burn.

 

[cheezydemon]

Ah. How silly of me. I am going to grow some scotch bonnets this year for the first time. I assumed that they would be similar to habanero. I am now very interested to compare the 2 burns.

 

[POTAWIE]

Its funny too how certain peppers like Rocotos or tepins seem hotter to some than habs. Its just a different kind of heat.

 

[Nute]

Nice work!

In the end we judge with the burn so it is possible to hybrid for even burn by tasting for testing.
I managed insane front to back burn with store yellow peppers, white peppers , serrano, jalapeno, habanaro. Maybe not so much back but lips of fire with the cheap white peppers.
The cheap white-yellow peppers had the hot parts removed and rest discarded but it was not necessary.
Balanced heat is a good goal!

Tonights salsa had a small amount of Arbol and Serrano.
Maybe Arbol has more of the harshinoids.

Give a try at adjectives for the burns?
Clear (cheap hot peppers), Pungent (habanaro)?

 

[staffing]

I know that Tom at the Pepper Palace (Gatlinburg, TN) has had such tests run on his products. I believe he goes through the lab at UT (U. of TN, in these parts ). You may want to email him to find out cost. Obviously someone at UT has an interest in conducting these tests....

You could also check with the Chile Pepper Institute in NM if you haven't already. This would be a neat project for the students at NMSU.