Guide to Hot Sauce Key Terms

Spice up your hot sauce knowledge by learning some key terms

By Meredith Fagioli

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If you're thinking about dipping your toe in the world of hot sauce, either by becoming a seller, manufacturer or just a connoisseur, you need to have a basic understanding of the topic. There is more to hot sauce than it just being a liquid that is capable of spicing up bland food. You should research some key terms that are tossed around when people discuss hot sauce so you can begin to understand what goes into the various brands and what makes it so spicy.

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Capsaicin

If you want to know what causes chili peppers to create a burning sensation when they come in contact with your tongue, or in some cases, your eyes, look no further than capsaicin.

I recommend: Check out wiseGEEK to find out more detailed information on capsaicin, including the many health benefits associated with including it in your diet.

Scoville Heat Unit

The Scoville Heat Unit is the measurement of a chili pepper's hotness level. The amount of capsaicin in each type of pepper is measured, and the more capsaicin a pepper has, the greater the number of Scoville Heat Units is given to it.

I recommend: There is an informative article on the Scoville Heat Unit at HotSauce.com that provides an overview and also a list of peppers and their associated Scoville Heat Unit measurements.

Bhut Jolokia

If you want to know what the hottest pepper according to the "Guinness Book of World Records" is, look no further than the Bhut Jolokia, which is native to north eastern India. This pepper has a Scoville Heat Unit rating of 1,001,304!

I recommend: You can find more information on the Bhut Jolokia at TheScarms.

Capsicum

Capsicum is the genus name of chili peppers, or plants that are used to make hot sauces.

I recommend: Find an official definition for Capsicum from the folks at Botany.com, as well as information on potting and propagating them.

Capsaicinoids

A capsaicinoid is any chemical that is present within the veins of a chili pepper. These chemicals are typically colorless and odorless.

I recommend: To find out what is in the family of compounds in a chili pepper, visit Chile Zone to read about all identified capsaicinoids.

Habenero

Chances are you've seen the name habenero splashed across a hot sauce bottle and wondered what type of pepper it is. The habenero pepper is one of the spicier peppers of the genus Capsicum. When the habenero is unripe, it is green, but as it matures, it will take on color.

I recommend: If you'd like to learn more about the name, origin, history or legends on the habenero pepper, visit Fiery-Foods.com by Sunbelt Shows.