PART THREE OF THE FOOD SCIENCE INFOGRAPHIC SERIES

PUNGENCY
The state or quality of being pungent, classically known as
“spiciness”, “hotness”, or “heat” with regards to food

MECHANISM
In many cases, pungent compounds illicit their reaction by
triggering a specific receptor in the mouth, called TRPV1

+
Ca 2+ cell exterior Ca
2+

+
Na 2+ Na
+ Na + Ca
Na

Ca 2+ TRPV1 Ca 2+

t
gen
Pun pound
Com

Na +

PAIN
2+
Ca
2+
Ca

cell interior

Pungent compounds activate TRPV1, causing an influx of

ions into nerve cell interior. This sets off a cascade that leads to
the pain sensation.

COMPOUNDS
There are various compounds in a variety of foods that illicit
the pungent response

Capsaicin

O
✓ Found in Chile Peppers
O
N ✓ Classically measured in
H
Scoville Heat Units
HO
✓ Water insoluble
Scoville Scale

16,000,000 - Pure Capsaicin

5,000,000 - Pepper Spray

500,000 - Habanero Pepper
50,000 - Cayenne Pepper The scale is based on
how much sugar water
10,000 - Serrano Pepper
it takes to neutralize
Hotness

5,000 - Jalapeno Pepper the spicy taste

1,000 - Poblano Pepper
100 - Pimento Pepper
0 - Bell Pepper

Piperine
O

O O ✓ Found in black pepper

✓ Slightly water soluble
N

Piperidine unit - found in

fire ant toxin and hemlock

Allyl isothiocyanate

N ✓ Found in mustard,
C horseradish, and wasabi
S
✓ Slightly water soluble

Gingerol
O OH
✓ Found in fresh ginger
O

HO
✓ Degraded by heat to
form zingerone (sweeter)
heat dehydration

O O

O O

HO HO

Zingerone Shogaol

Sources:
Dekker, Marcel. 1998. Spice Qualities and Specifications in Spice Science and Technology.
Julius, David & Basbaum, Allan. 2001. Molecular mechanisms of nociception. Nature. 413: 203-210
Tominaga, Makoto. 2005. Molecular Mechanisms of Trigeminal Nociception and Sensation of Pungency.
Chemical Senses. 30: 191-192

Content and Design by Pat Polowsky