Scotch Bonnet peppers - Contributed

It is found mainly in the Caribbean islands and is named for its resemblance to a Scot's bonnet.

These peppers are used to flavour many different dishes and cuisines world-wide. Scotch Bonnet has a flavour distinct from its cousin, Habanero. This gives Jerk dishes (pork/chicken) and other Jamaican dishes their unique flavour. Eaten raw, these peppers are also known to cause dizziness, numbness of hands and cheeks, and severe heartburn.

Fresh ripe Scotch Bonnets or Habaneros change from green to colours ranging from pumpkin orange to scarlet red. Ripe peppers are prepared for cooking by cutting out the seeds inside the fruit which can be saved for cultivation and other culinary uses.

All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run, and even induce perspiration.

Primary capsaicinoid

Capsaicinoids have no flavour or odour, but act directly on the pain receptors in the mouth and throat. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop diluted in 100,000 drops of water will still produce a blistering of the tongue.

Capsaicinoids are found primarily in the pepper's placenta - the white 'ribs' that run down the middle and along the sides of a pepper. Since the seeds are in such close contact with the ribs, they are also often hot. In the rest of the vegetable, capsaicinoids are unevenly distributed throughout the flesh, so it is likely that one part of the same pepper may be hotter or milder than another. You can reduce the amount of heat in a chilli pepper by removing the ribs and seeds, but you must wear gloves while doing so.

Capsaicinoid content is measured in parts per million. These parts per million are converted into Scoville heat units, the industry standard for measuring a pepper's punch. One part per million is equivalent to fifteen Scoville units. Bell peppers have a value of zero Scoville units, whereas habaneros - the hottest peppers - register a blistering 200,000 to 300,000. Pure capsaicin has a Scoville heat unit score of 16 million.