Q: Hi Dave,I was just wondering, if some chiles make the skin blister, and pure capsaicin burns through the skin, what does it do to the inside of you?–Rob A: Hello Rob:Pure capsaicin would kill you if you ate it. The blistering from some chiles involves people with sensitive skins or allergies, and the blistering is contact dermatitis. Studies with …
Natural Inhibitors for Discoloration?
Q: Hi Dave, I make 3 types of habanero hot sauce: peach/mango, a carrot base, and a habanero mustard. None have a pH above 4, and all are hot packed sauces. In the mustard, I get a discoloration from the original vibrant yellow to a dull beige over time and in the peach I get a darkening at the top …
Bulgarion Carrot Chile & Germinating Frozen Seeds
Q: Hi Dave,Last year I had a white, jalapeño-type chile growing in my garden, probably produced by cross pollination. I tried to germinate the seeds this year, from frozen pods I kept from last year. It did not work. So my first question is, does freezing affect the germination capacity of the seeds? My second question concerns the ‘Bulgarian Carrot’ …
Non-Toxic Heat Removal
Q: Dear Dave,It sounds like you are an expert in the field of chiles. How can I wash the “heat” off my hands? I was told by one person to try acetone. There has to be something out there that is not toxic!–Linda A: Hello Linda:The best way is to rub your hands with vegetable oil, then wash them about …
Nutritional Analysis of Chiles
Q: Dave, Collecting recipes and cooking have always been hobbies and joys in my life. Recently, I become interested in food nutrition as a serious part of weight control and use recipe programs that record detailed USDA level nutrition data. Chiles seem to be mostly left out in the analysis at the detail level, aside from green chiles and jalapeños. …