Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Chemists measure chilli sauce hotness with nanotubes
www.physorg.com ^ | 05/08/2008 | Source: Oxford University

Posted on 05/08/2008 6:10:17 AM PDT by Red Badger

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last
Before anyone complains about the spelling, it's British......
1 posted on 05/08/2008 6:10:17 AM PDT by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

They have chili in the UK ?


2 posted on 05/08/2008 6:17:11 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks

They probably eat more curry per-capita, than Indians, now.


3 posted on 05/08/2008 6:20:24 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Talk about taking all the fun out of eating spicy foods ...


4 posted on 05/08/2008 6:22:06 AM PDT by dmz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks

Chili peppers are all over the world. Try some Thai peppers sometime. They must be off the scale hot!........


5 posted on 05/08/2008 6:23:07 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Eric in the Ozarks

I surprised also. I did not know there was any food with flavor.


6 posted on 05/08/2008 6:25:26 AM PDT by svcw (There is no plan B.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: dmz

No, just the opposite! Now you’ll be able to measure your scale of “hotness” and document your progress. I, and many others, seek hotter and hotter peppers and recipes. Until now, all we had to go by was our own “tastes” but that is so variable from person to person and even to oneself on different days. I would assume that eventually they will develop a scientific consumer scale, not the Scoville scale since it’s so huge, that people can read on the labels.......


7 posted on 05/08/2008 6:27:40 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: dmz

I would love to have a way to get consistency when I put up salsa and hot sauce this summer from the garden. After a severl tastings on canning day, my “sensor” gets numb and I have a hard time getting it right. This would be a big help.


8 posted on 05/08/2008 6:28:16 AM PDT by myprecious
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

All I know is whatever the peppers are put in it will be way overcooked and mushy.


9 posted on 05/08/2008 6:29:25 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Abathar

That is the fault of the cook. Perhaps Brits don’t like “al dente” because they have no “dente”............


10 posted on 05/08/2008 6:32:18 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
In Compton’s method, the capsaicinoids are adsorbed onto multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes. The team measures the current change as the capsaicinoids are oxidised by an electrochemical reaction, and this reading can be translated into Scoville units. The technique is called adsorptive stripping voltammetry (ASV), and is a relatively simple electrochemical method.

This could be adapted for numerous other "chemical level" tests.

11 posted on 05/08/2008 6:33:21 AM PDT by r9etb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I was picturing their teeth when I said that...


12 posted on 05/08/2008 6:34:38 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: myprecious
After a severl tastings on canning day, my “sensor” gets numb and I have a hard time getting it right.

As a confirmed "chili-head", I have a similar problem: dishes that are "mild" to me seem to make others roll on the floor in agony -- especially if I have been taste-testing as I cook...

13 posted on 05/08/2008 6:35:32 AM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Abathar

14 posted on 05/08/2008 6:36:08 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: TXnMA
As a confirmed "chili-head", I have a similar problem: dishes that are "mild" to me seem to make others roll on the floor in agony -- especially if I have been taste-testing as I cook..

Exactly! People have a tolerance that waxes up and wanes with time. If you eat jalapeños daily, eventually they will be "mild" to you. But stop eating them for a month and they'll be hot all over again!.....

15 posted on 05/08/2008 6:38:55 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: r9etb

I would be surprised if other food ingredients wouldn’t alter the tests though.

I can’t believe that in the variety of chemicals found just in different hot sauces alone there aren’t other compounds that will oxidize along with the capsaicinoids to skew the results.


16 posted on 05/08/2008 6:38:55 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger; myprecious

It takes all kinds. I annoy my wife and kids (who enjoy consistency) because I (the primary cook) prefer the unknown, and want things to taste different each time.

As Thoreau said ‘the only people who get anywhere interesting are the people who get lost’.


17 posted on 05/08/2008 6:40:55 AM PDT by dmz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Habanero.... beer.

18 posted on 05/08/2008 6:41:13 AM PDT by evets (I have a crush on Hillary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Just imagine his wife having to kiss that... *shudder*


19 posted on 05/08/2008 6:41:13 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: r9etb
This could be adapted for numerous other "chemical level" tests.

Yes, I was thinking of that, too. Sweetness, Sourness, Bitterness, etc........

20 posted on 05/08/2008 6:41:14 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson