News Excerpt:
Denmark bans noodles for being too hot.
More about the news:
- Denmark banned Buldak Ramen noodles for being dangerously spicy due to the chemical called capsaicin.
- Various online sources claim the hottest Buldak Ramen noodles sit around 9,000 Scoville heat units (SHU).
About Capsaicin:
- Capsaicin is a chili pepper extract with analgesic properties, genus Capsicum, which was first isolated in 1816 by Christian Bucholz.
- It binds to a protein called TRPV1 (transient receptor potential V1), which sits in the membranes of sensory nerves, particularly in our digestive system (most notably our mouths), nose, and skin.
- TRPV1 is normally involved in our ability to sense painfully high temperatures. However, in the presence of capsaicin, the TRPV1 is triggered at lower temperatures by giving a burning sensation.
- This deception prompts our body to initiate an inflammatory response similar to actual burns, leading to swelling, sweating, and discomfort.
- In the wild, chili plants have evolved to produce capsaicin to deter mammals from eating the fruit.
- All birds, however, are unaffected by the spice, as their heat sensors work differently, as birds play a crucial role for the chili plant by consuming the fruit and dispersing seeds over a wide area.
- Since its discovery, it has been used as a homeopathic remedy to treat burning pain utilizing the concept of "treating like with like" or counter-irritant.
How is it measured?
- The pungency of peppers is measured using the Scoville scale and Scoville heat units (SHU), developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912.
- This was a rather subjective method, so in the 1980s it was replaced with a more analytical method that directly measures the concentration of capsaicin in the extract. However, the scale still bears Scoville’s name.
Adverse Effects:
- The more common potential adverse reactions include local erythema, local pain, local pruritus, local edema, local swelling, local dryness, hypertension, papules, pruritus, nausea, vomiting, nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, and bronchitis.
- The rare complications include abnormal skin odor, cough, dizziness, dysgeusia, headaches, hypesthesia, peripheral edema, peripheral sensory neuropathy, and throat irritation.
