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El Gibbon · 16-08-2008, 01:09 PM

Love spicy food? Thank the bugs
Posted: 10:03 AM ET
Ever wonder why chili peppers are hot, and why some are hotter than others? Well, new research shows the credit goes to insects and microbes.
GETTY IMAGES/AFP

Researchers at the University of Washington, along with colleagues from Florida and Bolivia, found that some peppers develop that heat to fight a seed-eating fungus that attacks through holes made by insects. The chili doesn’t want the fungus to consume the seeds; it much prefers that birds cozy up to the seed smorgasboard. When birds eat seeds, they disperse them, allowing them to sprout. When fungi chow down, the seed just dies.
So why don’t birds object to the spiciness? The researchers say the birds’ physiology is not designed to sense the burn.
The scientists studied chili peppers across 1,000 square miles in Bolivia. They found that plants in areas with more of the seed-destroying fungus produced more capsaicin, the substance that gives the peppers their heat.
Another interesting tidbit from the researchers — the capsaicin could be the reason humans starting eating the painful fruit in the first place. Lead author Joshua Tewksbury says back before there was refrigeration, people probably used the peppers when they found that spicy stews were less likely to make them sick.
The study was published this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Diane Hawkins-Cox, Senior Producer, CNN Sci-Tech Unit

link

link:SciTechBlog: - Blogs from CNN.com

E. G.

16-08-2008, 01:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
El Gibbon Thailand Expat Last Online: 07-11-2009 06:01 AM Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Samut Phrakon Posts: 1,722	Why are chilli hot? Its the bugs! Love spicy food? Thank the bugs Posted: 10:03 AM ET Ever wonder why chili peppers are hot, and why some are hotter than others? Well, new research shows the credit goes to insects and microbes. GETTY IMAGES/AFP Researchers at the University of Washington, along with colleagues from Florida and Bolivia, found that some peppers develop that heat to fight a seed-eating fungus that attacks through holes made by insects. The chili doesn’t want the fungus to consume the seeds; it much prefers that birds cozy up to the seed smorgasboard. When birds eat seeds, they disperse them, allowing them to sprout. When fungi chow down, the seed just dies. So why don’t birds object to the spiciness? The researchers say the birds’ physiology is not designed to sense the burn. The scientists studied chili peppers across 1,000 square miles in Bolivia. They found that plants in areas with more of the seed-destroying fungus produced more capsaicin, the substance that gives the peppers their heat. Another interesting tidbit from the researchers — the capsaicin could be the reason humans starting eating the painful fruit in the first place. Lead author Joshua Tewksbury says back before there was refrigeration, people probably used the peppers when they found that spicy stews were less likely to make them sick. The study was published this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Diane Hawkins-Cox, Senior Producer, CNN Sci-Tech Unit link link:SciTechBlog: - Blogs from CNN.com E. G. __________________ "If you can't stand the answer -- Don't ask the question!" To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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