The influence of a carrier food on the perceived spiciness of chili pepper sauce

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of carrier foods on the perceived spiciness of chili pepper sauces. Three different chili pepper sauces with known levels of synthetic oleoresin capsicum (0, 0.1, 0.3%) were prepared and served to trained panelists alongside two different carrier foods (chicken breasts and tortilla chips). The panelists evaluated the perceived intensity of the spiciness, T_max and capsaicinoid were analyzed using u-HPLC. Decreases in the level of perceived intensity of the spiciness was observed in chili pepper sauces served with carrier foods as compared to chili pepper sauces served alone (p <.05). The perceived intensity of the sauces served with chicken breast was significantly lower than that of the sauces served with tortilla chips (p <.05). This result indicates that the carrier foods served with chili pepper sauces may reduce the perceived spiciness perception of chili pepper sauces. Practical application: This study indicated that the human-perceived level of spiciness in hot chili pepper sauces is influenced by carrier foods; the effect of the sauces seemed to be greater when they were served with chicken breast than with tortilla chips. This result could help culinary artists determine how best to incorporate hot chili pepper sauces into their dishes.