Food Pungency: the Evolution of Methods for Capsaicinoid Analysis

Capsicum species are very famous natural products used and consumed as spices, fruits, and powder preparations. Their popularity is due to the presence of an exclusive alkaloid class known as capsaicinoid, responsible for the pungency of peppers and part of their biological activities. Since the beginning of their commercial exploration, several analytical methods have been developed to identify and quantify capsaicinoids. In large concentrations, capsaicinoids are toxic to mammalian; therefore, it is mandatory to establish their levels in pepper products and ensure if they can be consumed. The first method developed to determine pungency in pepper products was organoleptic, but with the technological development of these products, it become necessary to develop more accurate methods not susceptible to human errors. Currently, the methods applied for capsaicinoid analysis vary from fast and inexpensive methods, such as electrochemical methods, to those most costly with high performance, such as the chromatographic methods. In this paper, the major analytical methods developed until now, for the determination of capsaicinoids, have been reviewed and discussed.