The science of spiciness - Rose Eveleth

What kind of sensation is spiciness?

• A type of taste like sweet or salty

• A sensation of pain or heat

• A type of smell detected by the nose

• A feeling of coldness

What are the sensory neurons that detect the 'spicy' sensation in your body called?

• Taste buds

• Olfactory receptors

• Polymodal nociceptors

• Thermoreceptors

Why do chili peppers burn your mouth, while wasabi burns your nose?

• Chili peppers contain menthol, and wasabi contains capsaicin.

• Chili peppers have larger molecules (alkylamides) that stay in the mouth, while wasabi has smaller molecules (isothiocyanates) that float to the sinuses.

• Wasabi is a taste, and chili peppers are a smell.

• Chili peppers activate cold receptors, and wasabi activates heat receptors.

What scale is used to measure the spiciness of food based on its capsaicin content?

• Richter Scale

• Celsius Scale

• Scoville Scale

• pH Scale