What would happen if you consumed pure capsaicin?
Posted by admin
Sid asked:
Pure Capsaicin is 15million on the Scoville scale, by comparison pepper spray is up to 5million and Scotch bonnet chillis are up to 1million.
Would it kill you or cause organ failure do you think?
capsaicin is the irritant in chillis btw. That’s why currys taste hot
January 22nd, 2010 at 1:04 am
I don’t know about your other organs, but I would not want to have your colon in the morning. You certainly would be singing Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”.
January 24th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
you would probably throw up because the chemical (capsicum I assume that’s what you mean) is an irritant to the stomach lining.
PhD Food Chemistry and Nutrition
January 26th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
You would get third degrees burns in you mouth and destroy your esophagus…and die a slow painful death. I don’t think it would make it to the colon.
January 29th, 2010 at 1:48 am
According to Wiki:
Severe over-exposure [of capsaicin] can result in death.[Capsaicin-containing peppers] cause burning or stinging pain to the skin, and if ingested in large amounts by adults or small amounts by children, can produce nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and burning diarrhea.
January 31st, 2010 at 1:12 am
Do you have a death wish? Try eating a fresh Hobenaro pepper and see what happens….Don’t really do that unless you want severe burns in your mouth and esophogus. Point blank capsaicin in it’s pure form would kill you. My guess and this is only a guess but from the severe burns your airway would swell and you would die a very painful exfixiation.