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Hot Pepper Facts...

• In 2007, salsa surpassed ketchup as the most widely used condiment in the United States.

• A Chile’s heat or intensity is commonly, but incorrectly, said to come from the seeds in the chili. The heat actually comes from capsaicinoids - the combination of capsaicin (the active component of a chile) and a few other related chemicals - that is found along the placental tissue in the center of the chile where the seeds are found.

• Capsaicin - the 'heat' or 'burn' found in chiles - is the primary ingredient in pepper spray.

• Birds are not affected by the heat or pungency of capsaicin because they do not have a receptor to detect it. This allows capsicum plant seeds to be dispersed through avian travel.