Evaluating the Concentration of Capsaicin Species in HOT Peppers to Determine their Scoville Units by Liquid Chromatography

 

INTRODUCTION:

The world of Analytical Chromatography involves the separation of the individual components in a Sample, then the measurement of their optical / spectral properties. In the realm of Organic Chemicals, there are VOLATILE Compounds (low boiling points, easily evaporated, like most Solvents) and NONVOLATILE Compounds (high BP/MP, usually solid materials, like many drug and plastic chemicals).  There are many cases where the organic material is NOT Volatile or would decompose under the temperatures necessary to cause it to boil (evaporate). In such instances, the popular technique of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography is available.

 

PURPOSE:

The COMMON component active in ALL chili and red hot peppers is a class of organic compounds called CAPSAICIN. There are actually five (5) similar compounds that are known to:

 

· FLUORESCE (glow under "black light"),

· Have a yellow-red color in the VIS spectrum,

· Give a UV Absorbance and

· Can be separated by reverse Phase HPLC.

 

It is the CAPSAICIN that creates the feeling of HOTNESS on the tongue… and in the Hot Pepper industry it is defined as SCOVILLE UNITS. A pure, 100% Capsaicin is 1,000,000 Scoville units!

By preparing QUANTITATIVE Solutions of these Capsaicin-based HOT SAUCES and PEPPERS, we can "separate" out the various Organic compounds and compare the Retention Time to a Capsaicin STANDARD (to IDENTIFY the proper compound "Peak") and then compare the Integrated Peak Area to the Capsaicin STANDARD (to MEASURE the Quantity present).

 

INSTRUMENTS NEEDED:

 

EDU-DLC10-HPLC w/ 254nm. UV Detector

& a mixed 70%:30% Methanol-Water Solvent INFO/Buy IT!

 

Computer operating Peak-Simple Software

 INFO/Buy IT!

 

100 uL Syringe INFO/Buy IT!

                                

 

      

 SUPPLIES:

 

1.     Text Box: FUN-SCI Kit Includes all supplies INFO/Buy IT! Vial of 5000 PPM (0.5%) Capsaicin in Methanol solution

2.     250ml. Extracting Solvent (mixture of Alcohols & other solvents specific for Organic Peroxides)

3.     100ml. & 250ml. Pyrex Beakers (for heating the Sample & solvent together)

4.     Disposable Pipets & Beakers (for making dilutions)

5.     "Hot-Plate" Mug Warmer (for preparing the Samples) Available with the FUN-SCITM Experiment Kits

6.     Scale or Balance with 0.1-Gram capability

 

       SAMPLES:

 

Test SAMPLE Extracts from several BRANDS (Tabasco, Cholula, el Yucateo, Texas Pete, Trappey's, Louisiana, Melinda's XXX, Red Hot, etc) and TYPES of hot sauces and chili peppers. Available with the FUNSCITM Experiment Kits.

 

 

Download this experiment * Must be a registered member!

© Copyright 2003-2006 Fun-Sci Corp. All rights reserved.