1 oz. African Bird Pepper Powder 150m HU (Capsicum annuum)

Also known as peri peri or pili pili, this cousin to cayanne is widely used in Portugal, Africa and Namibia as seasoning for stewed and roasted foods

Constituents

1,8-cineole, 2-octanone, alanine, alpha-carotene, alpha-linoleic acid, alpha-phellandrene, arginine, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, betaine, campesterol, capsaicin, capsanthin, carvone, fiber, folacin, glutamic acid, hesperidin, isoleucine, isovaleric acid, kaempferol, manganese, myrcene, p-coumaric acid, potassium, proline, quercetin, scopoletin, solanine, thiamin, thujone, tryptophan, valine, zeaxanthin, zinc.

Parts Used

The fruit, fresh or dried, chopped or powdered.

Typical Preparations

Widely used in cooking. Most often compounded as a cream for external use, rarely brewed into a tea for internal use.

Summary

The burning sensation of hot peppers is a reaction of the central nervous system to capsaicin; unlike horseradish, wasabi, garlic, ginger, and mustard, capsaicin only causes the sensation of damage, not real damage to tissues.

Precautions

Pepper in any form may be an irritant to the mucous membranes and caution should be exercised when handling. Don't touch your eyes with your hands after you have handled capsaicin in any form as painful burning may occur. Excessive use internally may result in gastro-intestinal upset.