Standardisation of extraction of pungency from whole chilli (Capsicum) for estimation of capsaicin

Capsaicin was extracted from chilli powder using 6 different solvents: (i) ethylene-dichloride, (ii) methylene-dichloride, (iii) chloroform, (iv) methanol, (v) acetone, and (vi) ethanol (95%). Max. extraction (0.22%) was with (v) and (vi) followed by (iv), (iii), (ii) and (i) with 0.20, 0.18, 0.14 and 0.13% extraction resp. Optimum period of extraction was 3 h with (v) resulting in 0.25% extraction. Capsaicin content in 14 chilli var. ranged from 0.12 to 0.53%.