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That chilli smell...

G

guysensei1

What exactly causes the chilli smell that comes from basically every part of a chilli plant?

Are there any peppers that do not smell like chillies? I'm not a huge fan of the smell.
 
 I find that chilis have extensive variety in aroma, some very distinct but not objectionable.
To me sensing the individual aroma of food or drink is a big part of taste experience.
 
I would believe the underlying pungency I think you're referring to is due to the Capsaicinoid family of chemical compounds that make this our passion.
 
It's not a capsciacinoid that makes the smell. I know this because the 0-500 scoville trinidad perfume peppers have a VERY strong scent to them. I think it's the fruit itself, similar to how durians smell as strongly as they do. I found chocolate scotch bonnets don't smell quite as strong as some other kinds.
 
Some don't smell, some smell like green bells, some smell fruity, some smell evil, some smell totally different when dry or drying (I notice the most similar smell when drying, or in dried). So to me, the "chili" smell is when drying so perhaps it is the cap being activated.
 
As far as raw... all different to me. Except that earthy veg smell.
 
I never see a plant smell,or smell the same as the pod,or even close.

BUT different varieties do sometimes have a specific smell.
One in particular is Galopagoense.
Rub the plant and it gives out a very distinctive-strong aroma.

As far as I see ,in general,no plants I've grown smell like their pods do.
Chinense pods have a strong smell but I've never had a plant smell like anything near what a fresh cut pod smells like.
No smell at all in general.
Never noticed a plant having a specific smell in general.
I've grown a LOT of plants indoors,never noticed any plant smells...
Can't think of any pepper plant that smells like the pods it puts out.
Never had most plants having any specific smell.

Are you sure it isn't the soil or something else causing the smell?

Pods smell,but plants don't as far as I can tell,except for a few specific varieties.
 
The leaves on the pubescens plants I grew this year all had a smell when rubbed. Somewhat reminding me of tomato or tamarillo leaves.
 
C. baccatum seem to have a unique smell. The Inca drop I grew last year smelled lemon-like if I remember correctly. I've never noticed c. chinese or c. annuum having much of a smell.
 
I don't know/didn't find much about the smell of the rest of a pepper plant but the aroma of pods is due to combinations of volatile natural chemicals, which differ from species to species. Here is the title and abstract from a research paper on the subject (I emboldened the relevant text):
 
 
 

Volatile and capsaicinoid composition of ají (Capsicum baccatum) and rocoto (Capsicum pubescens), two Andean species of chile peppers.


Hubert Kollmannsberger, Adrián Rodríguez-Burruezo, Siegfried Nitz,Fernando Nuez



Lehrstuhl für Chemisch-technische Analyse und Chemische Lebensmitteltechnologie der Technische Universität München, Weihenstephaner Steig 23, D-85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany.
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (Impact Factor: 1.76). 03/2011; 91(9):1598-611. DOI:10.1002/jsfa.4354
Source: PubMed




ABSTRACT Ají (Capsicum baccatum L. var. pendulum) and rocoto (Capsicum pubescens R. & P.) are two species of chile pepper used for millennia in Andean cuisine. The introduction of these relatively unknown Capsicum species to new markets requires an understanding of their flavour-related compounds. Thus both heat level (Scoville method and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)) and, particularly, aroma (headspace solid phase microextraction and GC/MS/olfactometry) were studied in different accessions of ají and rocoto and a C. chinense control.
Ajíes and rocotos are mildly pungent compared with C. chinense (13-352 vs 1605 mg kg(-1) total capsaicinoids). More than 200 volatiles were detected and marked differences in volatile pattern were found between the studied accessions. The powerful fruity/exotic aroma of the C. chinense control is due to esters such as ethyl 4-methylpentanoate, norcarotenoids such as β-ionone and the hydrocarbon ectocarpene. In contrast, the Andean peppers had more earthy/vegetable/bell pepper-like aromas. Rocotos also exhibited a distinct additional cucumber odour, while one of the ajíes had a distinctive sweet/fruity note. The aroma of C. pubescens fruits is mainly due to substituted 2-methoxypyrazines and lipoxygenase cleavage products (e.g. 2-nonenals, 2,6-nonadienal). 2-Heptanethiol, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine and several phenols (e.g. guaiacol) and terpenoids (e.g. α-pinene, 1,8-cineol, linalool) are the basis of C. baccatum aroma, with some 3-methyl-2-butyl esters contributing to fruity notes.
In this study the compounds responsible for heat and aroma in the Andean peppers C. baccatum and C. pubescens were identified. The results will be of use to inspire future studies aimed at improving the flavour of these species.
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