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 …
Heat Level Affected by Boiling?
Q: Hi Dave! I know that the habanero and Scotch bonnet are in the same family (and that the peppers can vary greatly in heat), but generally, are these two considered to be of the same heat level? Is there a difference between the heat level in the various colors (red habanero, orange habanero, etc.)? Also, when peppers are placed …
The Hungaro Pepper
Q: Dear Mr. DeWitt:I’m looking for your book Peppers of the World: An Identification Guide and have not been able to find it via the Internet. I would like to purchase this book so that we may have references to peppers (descriptions, pictures, etc.) that our farm is currently producing. Also, my friend suggested that I contact you for a …
Tips: New Hot Sauce Business
Q: Dave,I have become a recent victim of corporate cutbacks. I feel this is a good time in my life to pursue my passion for hot sauces and attempt making, bottling and marketing my own concoction of bottled heat (and taste). Any advice you can provide to help in my pursuit of the hot sauce business would be much appreciated.Thank …
Food Poisoning Not Due to Chiles
Q: Dear Dave,We ate at a Mexican restaurant in Austin, TX and my wife had a ground beef burrito that was very spicy hot. About 20 minutes after eating she passed out and wound up in the hospital for 3 days having tests run on her to determine what happened. Nothing abnormal was found. We were wondering if you knew …