A New Method for Sensory Evaluation of Red Pepper Heat

ABSTRACT A replacement for the Scoville heat test for the sensory determination of pungency in capsicum products has been developed. Ground red pepper was steeped in 90°C water for 20 min, filtered and the filtrate diluted in 20°C water. Trained panelists compared the heat of pepper extracts with a known concentration of a standard, synthetic capsaicin, (N‐vanillyl‐n‐nonamide). The reproducible results correlated highly with high pressure liquid chromatography.