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Q: Hey Dave,
I usually spice up my canned chicken chili lunch with a drop or two of some super hot sauce. Today I put in a bit more than I wanted, but ate the chili, mouth burning, anyway. Near the end of the meal I broke out in a cold sweat. It felt like my body was going into shock. Has that ever happened to anyone else?
Thanks,
Andrew
A: Hello Andrew:
This effect is called gustatory perspiration, and yes, it is very common. It points out the fact that capsaicin is a very powerful chemical that should be used with caution. Pure capsaicin, at 16 million Scoville Heat Units, is a deadly poison. Please see my article on the subject at: http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/capsaicin.asp
–Dave
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