Chili pepper

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(Redirected from
Chilli peppers
)
"Red Chillies" redirects here. For the film, see Red Chillies (film). "Hot pepper" redirects here. For other uses, see Hot pepper (disambiguation). For the dish often called simply "chili", see Chili con carne. For the band, see Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Chili pepper
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Tribe: Capsiceae
L.
Genus: Capsicum
L.
Varieties and Groups
Synonyms[2]
Synonymy
  • Capsicum buforum Salisb.
Young chili plants

Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli

applied topically. Chili peppers exhibit a range of heat and flavors. This diversity is the reason behind the availability of different types of paprika and chili powder, each offering its own taste and heat level.[5]

Chili peppers are believed to have originated in Central or South America

Columbian Exchange, which led to many cultivars spreading around the world and finding use in both food and traditional medicine. This led to a variety of cultivars, including the annuum species, with its glabriusculum variety and New Mexico cultivar group, and the species of baccatum, chinense, frutescens, and pubescens
.

Cultivars grown in North America and Europe are believed to derive from Capsicum annuum and have white, yellow, red, or purple to black fruits. In 2019, the world's production of raw green chili peppers amounted to 38 million tons, with China producing half.[10]

History

Origins

Capsicum plants originated in modern-day

University of California Berkeley in 2014, chili plants were first cultivated independently across different locations in the Americas including highland Peru and Bolivia, central Mexico, and the Amazon.[8] They were one of the first self-pollinating crops cultivated in Mexico, Central America,[13] and parts of South America.[11]

Peru has the highest variety of cultivated Capsicum diversity because it is a center of diversification where varieties of all five domesticates were introduced, grown, and consumed in pre-Columbian times.[14] The largest diversity of wild Capsicum peppers is consumed in Bolivia. Bolivian consumers distinguish two basic forms: ulupicas, species with small round fruits including C. eximium, C. cardenasii, C. eshbaughii, and C. caballeroi landraces; and arivivis with small elongated fruits including C. baccatum var. baccatum and C. chacoense varieties.[14]

Distribution to Europe

When

Piper which grow in the tropics, chilis could be grown in temperate climates. By the mid-1500s, they had become a common garden plant in Spain and was incorporated into numerous dishes. They also appeared in Italy by 1526, Germany in 1543, and the Balkans by 1569, where it was processed into paprika.[16][17]

Distribution to the rest of the world

The rapid introduction of chilis to Africa and Asia was likely through the

Canton, China, and Nagasaki, Japan.[18][16][19][17][20][21]

Production

Production of chillies and peppers, green – 2020
Region (Millions of
tons)
 China 16.7
 Mexico 2.8
 Indonesia 2.8
 Turkey 2.6
 Spain 1.5
World 36.1
Source:
FAOSTAT of the United Nations[22]

In 2020, 36 million tonnes of green chilies and peppers (counted as any Capsicum or Pimenta fruits) were produced worldwide, with China producing 46% of the total.[22]

Species and cultivars

See also: List of Capsicum cultivars
Cayenne peppers, a cultivar of Capsicum annuum, one of the most diverse and commonly grown chili species
Tabasco peppers, like other Capsicum frutescens
cultivars, characteristically bear fruits pointing upwards
Habanero peppers
, include the hottest chili cultivars

There are five domesticated species of chili peppers:

  1. chiltepin, and all forms of New Mexico chile
    .
  2. labuyo, piri piri, and kambuzi
    .
  3. naga, habanero, Datil and Scotch bonnet
    .
  4. rocoto
    peppers.
  5. aji peppers.[23]

Though there are only a few commonly used species, there are many cultivars and methods of preparing chili peppers that have different names for culinary use. Green and red bell peppers, for example, are the same cultivar of C. annuum. Unripe peppers are green (although peppers that do not turn red on ripening have been bred). In the same species are the jalapeño, the poblano (which, when dried, is referred to as ancho), New Mexico, serrano, and other cultivars.[citation needed]

Peppers are commonly broken down into two groupings: bell peppers (UK: sweet peppers) and hot peppers. Most popular pepper varieties are seen as falling into one of these categories or a cross between them.[citation needed]

Intensity

See also: Hottest chili pepper

The substances that give chili peppers their pungency (spicy heat) when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) and several related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids.[24][25] The quantity of capsaicin varies by variety, and depends on growing conditions. Water-stressed peppers usually produce stronger pods. When a habanero plant is stressed, by absorbing low water for example, the concentration of capsaicin increases in some parts of the fruit.[26]

When peppers are consumed by mammals such as humans, capsaicin binds with

hydrophobic
, colorless, odorless, and crystalline-to-waxy solid at room temperature, and measures 16,000,000 SHU.

Capsaicin is produced by the plant as a defense against mammalian predators and

hemipteran insects that attack certain species of chili peppers, according to one study.[29] Peppers increased the quantity of capsaicin in proportion to the damage caused by fungal predation on the plant's seeds.[29]

Common peppers

A wide range of intensity is found in commonly used peppers:

Bell pepper 0 SHU
Fresno, jalapeño 3,500–10,000 SHU
Cayenne 30,000–50,000 SHU
Piri piri, bird's eye 50,000–100,000 SHU
Habanero, Scotch bonnet 100,000–350,000 SHU[30]

Notable hot chili peppers

Red Bhut Jolokia and green bird's eye chilies

The top 8 world's hottest chili peppers (by country) are:

Country Type Hotness
 United States Pepper X 2.69M SHU[31]
 Wales Dragon's Breath 2.48M SHU*[32]
 United States Carolina Reaper 2.2M SHU[33]
 Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad moruga scorpion
 2.0M SHU*[34]
 India Ghost pepper (Bhut jolokia) 1.58M SHU[35]
 Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad Scorpion Butch T 1.46M SHU[36]
 England Naga Viper 1.38M SHU[37]
 England Infinity chili 1.07M SHU[38]

NOTE: SHU claims marked with an asterisk (*) have not been confirmed by Guinness World Records.[39]

Uses

Culinary

Smoke-dried chipotle

Due to their unique pungency, chili peppers constitute a crucial part of many cuisines around the world, particularly in Chinese (especially in Sichuanese food), Mexican, Thai, Indian, New Mexican cuisine and many other South American, Caribbean and East Asian cuisines. In 21st-century Asian cuisine, chili peppers are commonly used across many regions.[40][41]

Chili pepper pods are botanically berries. When used fresh, they are most often prepared and eaten like a vegetable. Whole pods can be dried and then crushed or ground into chili powder that is used as a spice or seasoning. Chilies can be dried to prolong their shelf life. Chili peppers can also be preserved by brining, immersing the pods in oil, or by pickling.

Many fresh chilies such as poblano have a tough outer skin that does not break down on cooking. Chilies are sometimes used whole or in large slices, by roasting, or other means of blistering or charring the skin, so as not to entirely cook the flesh beneath. When cooled, the skins will usually slip off easily.

labuyo
 chili leaves

The leaves of every species of Capsicum are edible. Though almost all other Solanaceous crops have toxins in their leaves, chili peppers do not.[citation needed] The leaves, which are mildly bitter and nowhere near as hot as the fruit, are cooked as greens in Filipino cuisine, where they are called dahon ng sili (literally "chili leaves"). They are used in the chicken soup tinola.[42] In Korean cuisine, the leaves may be used in kimchi.[43] In Japanese cuisine, the leaves are cooked as greens, and also cooked in tsukudani style for preservation.

Many

salsas
. Mexican households usually grow chile plants to use in cooking.

Chilies at a market in India

In India, most households always keep a stock of fresh hot green chilies at hand, and use them to flavor most curries and dry dishes.

Chili is a staple fruit in Bhutan. Bhutanese call this crop ema (in Dzongkha) or solo (in Sharchop). The ema datshi recipe is entirely made of chili mixed with local cheese.

Chilies are present in many cuisines. Some notable chili dishes include

som tam
.

Fresh or dried chilies are often used to make

sriracha
from Thailand. Dried chilies are also used to infuse cooking oil.

Ornamental plants

The contrast in color and appearance makes chili plants interesting to some as a purely decorative garden plant.

Psychology

Psychologist Paul Rozin suggests that eating chilies is an example of a "constrained risk" like riding a roller coaster, in which extreme sensations like pain and fear can be enjoyed because individuals know that these sensations are not actually harmful. This method lets people experience extreme feelings without any significant risk of bodily harm.[46]

Topical use and health research

Capsaicin, the pungent chemical in chili peppers, is used as an analgesic in topical ointments, nasal sprays, and dermal patches to relieve pain.[47] A 2022 review of preliminary research indicated that regular consumption of chili peppers was associated with weak evidence for a lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and cancer.[48]

Chemical irritants

Main article: Pepper spray

Capsaicin extracted from chilies is used in

less-lethal weapons for control of unruly individuals or crowds.[49] Such products have considerable potential for misuse, and may cause injury or death.[49]

Crop defense

olfactory and nasal system, the smell of the chili causes them discomfort and deters them from feeding on the crops. By planting a few rows of the fruit around valuable crops, farmers create a buffer zone through which the elephants are reluctant to pass. Chili dung bombs are also used for this purpose. They are bricks made of mixing dung and chili, and are burned, creating a noxious smoke that keeps hungry elephants out of farmers' fields. This can lessen dangerous physical confrontation between people and elephants.[50]

Food defense

Birds do not have the same sensitivity to capsaicin, because it targets a specific

pain receptor in mammals. Chili peppers are eaten by birds living in the chili peppers' natural range, possibly contributing to seed dispersal and evolution of the protective capsaicin in chili peppers, as a bird in flight can spread the seeds further away from the parent plant after they pass through its digestive system than any land or tree dwelling mammal could do so under the same circumstances, thus reducing competition for resources.[51]

Nutritional value

Peppers, hot chili, red, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy166 kJ (40 kcal)
8.8 g
Sugars5.3 g
Dietary fiber1.5 g
0.4 g
1.9 g
beta-Carotene
5%
48 μg
5%
534 μg
Vitamin B6
30%
0.51 mg
Vitamin C
160%
144 mg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Iron
6%
1 mg
Magnesium
5%
23 mg
Potassium
11%
322 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water88 g
Capsaicin0.01g – 6 g
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[52] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[53]

Red hot chili peppers are 88% water, 9%

protein, and 0.4% fat (table). In a 100 gram reference amount, chili peppers supply 40 calories, and are a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin B6
(table).

Spelling and usage

The three primary spellings are chili, chile and chilli, all of which are recognized by dictionaries.

  • Chili is widely used in English of the United States[54] and optionally in Canada.[55] However, it is also commonly used as a short name for chili con carne (literally "chili with meat"),[54] most versions of which are seasoned with chili powder, which in turn can refer to pure dried, ground chili peppers, or to a mixture containing other spices.
  • Chile is the most common Spanish spelling in Mexico and several other Latin American countries,[56] as well as some parts of the United States[57] which refers specifically to this plant and its fruit. In the Southwest United States (particularly New Mexico), chile also denotes a thick, spicy, un-vinegared sauce made from this fruit, available in red and green varieties, and served over the local food, while chili denotes the meat dish. The plural is chile or chiles.
  • Chilli was the original Romanization of the Náhuatl language word for the fruit (chilli)[58] and is the preferred British spelling according to the Oxford English Dictionary, although it also lists chile and chili as variants.[58] Chilli (and its plural chillies) is the most common spelling in India,[59] Sri Lanka,[60] Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, and variably in Canada.

The name of the plant is unrelated to that of

Taíno
origin.

Though pepper originally referred to the genus

Piper, not Capsicum, the latter usage is included in English dictionaries, including the Oxford English Dictionary[61] and Merriam-Webster.[62] The word pepper is also commonly used in the botanical and culinary fields in the names of different types of pungent plants and their fruits.[61]

Safety

The

vomiting, and symptoms possibly requiring hospitalization.[citation needed
]

Gallery

  • Illustration from the Japanese agricultural encyclopedia Seikei Zusetsu (1804)
    Illustration from the Japanese agricultural encyclopedia Seikei Zusetsu (1804)
  • The habanero pepper
    The habanero pepper
  • Buds and flowers
    Buds and flowers
  • Immature chilies in the field
    Immature chilies in the field
  • Ripe chilies in the field, Myanmar
    Ripe chilies in the field, Myanmar
  • The Black Pearl cultivar
    The Black Pearl cultivar
  • Cubanelle peppers
    Cubanelle peppers
  • Ripe chili pepper with seeds
    Ripe chili pepper with seeds
  • Scotch bonnet chili peppers in a Caribbean market
    Scotch bonnet chili peppers in a Caribbean market
  • Chili peppers drying in Kathmandu, Nepal
    Chili peppers drying in Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Removing seeds and pith from dried chilies in San Pedro Atocpan, Mexico
    Removing seeds and pith from dried chilies in San Pedro Atocpan, Mexico
  • Dried chili pepper flakes and fresh chilies
    Dried chili pepper flakes and fresh chilies
  • Chili pepper dip in a traditional restaurant in Amman, Jordan
    Chili pepper dip in a traditional restaurant in Amman, Jordan
  • Dried Thai bird's eye chilies
    Dried Thai bird's eye chilies
  • Green chilies
    Green chilies
  • Guntur chilli drying in the sun, Andhra Pradesh, India
    Guntur chilli drying in the sun, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • Sundried chili at Imogiri, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
    Sundried chili at Imogiri, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • New Mexico chiles dried on the plant in Mesilla, New Mexico
    New Mexico chiles dried on the plant in Mesilla, New Mexico
  • Chili pepper wine from Virginia
    Chili pepper wine from Virginia
  • Chili peppers drying in hanging ristras
    Ristras of chili peppers drying in Arizona
  • White flower of chili paper at night
    White flower of chili paper at night
  • Choricero peppers
    Choricero peppers
  • Pickled chili in India
    Pickled chili in India
  • Peperoncino chili in Tropea, Italy, with a sign saying il viagra calabrese ("the Calabrian viagra")
    Peperoncino chili in Tropea, Italy, with a sign saying il viagra calabrese ("the Calabrian viagra")
  • Chili peppers cultivated in Myanmar
    Chili peppers cultivated in Myanmar
  • Dried chili pepper flakes, Myanmar
    Dried chili pepper flakes, Myanmar
  • Green Chillies from North India. They are used as spice in many Indian dishes.
    Green Chillies from North India. They are used as spice in many Indian dishes.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Chili pepper". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
  2. ^ "Capsicum annuum L." theplantlist.org. The Plant List.
  3. ^ Dasgupta, R. R. (8 May 2011). "Indian chilli displacing jalapenos in global cuisine". The Economic Times.
  4. ^ "HORT410. Peppers – Notes". Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2009. Common name: pepper. Latin name: Capsicum annuum L. ... Harvested organ: fruit. Fruit varies substantially in shape, pericarp thickness, color and pungency.
  5. ^ peppergeek (28 September 2022). "Paprika vs. Chili Powder vs. Cayenne: What's The Difference?". Pepper Geek. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  6. ^ Mishan, Ligaya (18 August 2022). "How The Chili Became Hot". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  7. ^
    S2CID 205772121
    .
  8. ^
    S2CID 36556206
    . Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  9. ^
    PMID 24753581
    .
  10. ^ "Green chili production in 2019; Crops/World Regions/Production Quantity/Green Chillies and Peppers from pick lists". UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT). 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Bosland PW (1998). "Capsicums: Innovative uses of an ancient crop". In Janick J (ed.). Progress in New Crops. Arlington, VA: ASHS Press. pp. 479–487. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  12. ^ "Birthplace of the domesticated chili pepper identified in Mexico". EurekaAlert, American Association for the Advancement of Science. 21 April 2014.
  13. PMID 27245634
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  14. ^
    PMID 26402618
    .
  15. ISBN 9780851993355
    . Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  16. ^
    ISBN 9781351440622
    .
  17. ^
    ISBN 9781420004366
    .
  18. ^ Wallin, Nils-Bertil (11 June 2004). "Chili: Small Fruit Sets Global Palettes on Fire". YaleGlobal Online. Yale University. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  19. ISBN 9780826361806
    .
  20. ISBN 978-0-09-943786-4
    .
  21. ISBN 978-81-89422-44-8
    .
  22. ^ a b "Green chili production in 2020; Crops/World Regions/Production Quantity/Green Chillies and Peppers from pick lists". UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT). 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  23. ISBN 9781461437758
    . Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  24. doi:10.1271/nogeikagaku1924.35.10_923
    . Chem. Abstr. 1964, 60, 9827g.
  25. ^ Kosuge S, Inagaki Y (1962). "Studies on the pungent principles of red pepper. Part XI. Determination and contents of the two pungent". J. Agric. Chem. Soc. Japan (in Japanese). 36: 251–254.
  26. ISSN 0018-5345
    .
  27. PMID 23023032
    .
  28. ^ "History of the Scoville Scale | FAQS". Tabasco.Com. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  29. ^
    PMID 18695236
    .
  30. ^ Filippone PT (11 October 2000). "Chile Pepper Heat Scoville Scale". Homecooking.about.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  31. ^ Atwal S (16 October 2023). "Pepper X dethrones Carolina Reaper as world's hottest chilli pepper". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  32. ^ Morris L (22 January 2018). "The Hottest Chilli in the World was Created in Wales Accidentally". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  33. ^ Lynch K (19 November 2013). "Confirmed: Smokin Ed's Carolina Reaper sets new record for hottest chilli". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  34. ^ Bryan SM (16 February 2012). "Trinidad Moruga Scorpion wins hottest pepper title". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  35. ^ Joshi M (11 March 2012). "Chile Pepper Institute studies what's hot". Your life. USA Today. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012.
  36. ^ Da Silva M (12 April 2011). "Aussies grow world's hottest chilli". Australian Geographic. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  37. ^ "Title of world's hottest chili pepper stolen – again". The Independent. London. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  38. ^ Henderson N (19 February 2011). ""Record-breaking" chilli is hot news". BBC News. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  39. ^ "Home". Guinness World Records.
  40. ^ Robinson S (14 June 2007). "Chili Peppers: Global Warming". Time. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  41. ^ McQuaid J (20 February 2015). "What's driving the global chili pepper craze?". Forbes Media. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  42. ^ "Dahon ng Sili (Chili pepper leaves)". Tribo ความสุขบนเตียง. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007.
  43. ^ "Vitamin Rich Chili pepper Leaf Kimchi". Ssoft International Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 November 2009.
  44. ^ "Chilies as Ornamental Plants". Seedsbydesign. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013.
  45. ^ "Bishop's crown pepper, image". CayenneDiane.com.
  46. S2CID 143848453
    .
  47. PMID 27367653
    .
  48. PMID 34977833
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  49. ^
    PMID 29052530
    .
  50. ^ Mott M. "Elephant Crop Raids Foiled by Chili Peppers, Africa Project Finds". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  51. S2CID 4389051
    .
  52. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  53. PMID 30844154.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  54. ^ a b "Chili". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 21 July 2021.; other spellings are listed as variants, with "chilli" described as "chiefly British"
  55. ^ The Canadian Oxford Dictionary lists chili as the main entry, and labels chile as a variant, and chilli as a British variant.
  56. ISBN 978-0-674-79681-2
    .
  57. ^ "chile". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  58. ^
    OED. Vol. 2 C (1 Corrected re-issue ed.). Oxford, UK. 1933. p. 346. Retrieved 19 July 2021.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  59. ^ Usage example: "Fall in exports crushes chilli prices in Guntur". Thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  60. ^ Usage example: "Chilli, Capsicum and Pepper are spicy plants grown for the pod. Green chilli is a culinary requirement in any Sri Lankan household". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  61. ^
    OED. Vol. 7 N–Poy (1 Corrected re-issue ed.). Oxford, UK. 1913. p. 663. Retrieved 19 July 2021.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )     (sense 2b of pepper)
  62. ^ "pepper". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  63. ^ Andrea Beck (8 May 2019). "How to Handle Hot Peppers and Chiles Safely". Better Homes and Gardens. Retrieved 23 July 2022.

Further reading

External links

Look up chili in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capsicum.
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