food Marketing - Technology 2/2023

Ingredients
the other hand, which mistakenly have
the reputation of being “particularly
hot”, contain no capsaicin.
Wide range of varieties and
flavors
Chili peppers come in a variety of
colors – e.g. yellow, orange, green,
red – and in different color intensities.
The shapes also vary – narrow or
bulbous, short or long. Depending on
the variety, there are also differences
in taste, aroma and pungency. The
spiciness is joined by different flavors,
such as fruity, floral, sweet, tangy,
smoky, etc.
Spicy food makes you happy
Capsaicin irritates the nerve cells
of the oral mucosa. The cells also
warn us if we burn our mouth
with something too hot. This
is where the burning sensation
comes from when eating a chili
pepper. The body reacts to
capsaicin with increased blood
flow and hot flashes. The pain
stimulus can cause the release
of the happiness hormone
endorphin.
The origin of peppers and chili
peppers is in Central and South
America, and Christopher Columbus
is said to have brought the chili bell
pepper to Europe. Today, there are
a large number of varieties and new
chilies are constantly being created
through breeding. Most commonly
used varieties are descended from
five families of species: Sweet
peppers, as well as “Cayenne” and
“Jalapeño,” belong to the most
common species, Capsicum anuum.
Capsicum baccatum includes the
citrus-flavored chili pepper “Lemon
Drop”. The very hot chili peppers
“Carolina Reaper”, “Scorpion” and
“Habanero” are Capsicum chinense
varieties. The “Tabasco” pod, known
through the sauce of the same name,
is of the Capsicum frutescens species.
The fifth species Capsicum pubescens
is rarely cultivated. “Rocota” is one of
its varieties and very popular among
chili connoisseurs.
+ Markets. “This one-stop chili variety
was met with great demand at recent
trade shows to which we accompanied
the company.”
Developing a high-quality seed
The richness of chili varieties is the
result of cultivation and breeding.
Accordingly, the production of highquality
chili varieties begins with seeds.
“Uchu Spice” puts special emphasis
on seed production, handling and
control in its development center.
The company does not resort to
hybrid seeds but has established
its own seed bank and takes care of
seed management itself. 68 different
varieties of the five Capsicum species
families are currently in the seed
bank. Seed development is a lengthy
process. Each variety goes through
a special development process. For
the development of the “Carolina
Reaper”, for example, five seeds were
available and the company needed
2 ½ years. During the research and
development process, the fruits with
the best genotype and phenotype are
selected to ensure that the chilies
are bred that are the most flavorful,
have the best shape and have the
best organoleptic characteristics.
“Many chili producers don’t pay
enough attention not to mix varieties,”
explains Imelda Echavarria, cofounder
and CEO of Uchu Spice. “We,
on the other hand, take special care
to manage the gene bank so that we
have the best ‘habanero’ or that the
‘scorpion’ pod always has the shape of
a scorpion. Our quality control starts
with the seed.”
The company “Uchu Spice” offers 15
different chili varieties. Among them
are the rather mild “Jalapeño” to the
very hot “Habanero” pods. Many
well-known and often used varieties
are included, such as “Tabasco” and
“Cayenne”, as well as specialties like
“Rocota” and “Scotch Bonnet” chilies.
For the European food industry, the
chilies are available in dried form, in
flakes, as powder, puréed or pickled,
depending on their intended use. “The
range of chili varieties, flavors, heat
levels and processing options is very
wide for ‘Uchu Spice’” explains Maria
Paula Gomez, IPD expert for Sourcing
16 food Marketing & Technology • April 2023