Re: [CH] Hot Chinese Mustard
Art Pierce (pierces@cruzio.com)
Wed, 17 Feb 1999 08:05:00 -0800
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 22:41:41 -0600
From: "R. Solarion" <galaxy37@1starnet.com>
Subject: [CH] Hot Chinese Mustard
Dear Chile-Heads and Others - Question. What spice ingredient is
added to Chinese mustard to give it that "hot" taste? Obviously it is
not any form of red pepper, or else that would change the color of the
yellow mustard. Thanks for the information. Robertino
~~~
John Ratzenberger sez:
Mustard's "hot" is NOT from capsaicinoids.
Cruciferae (Cabbage family). This is a large family of 3200 species in
375 genera. It is also known as the Brassicaceae. The plants are found
chiefly in northern temperate regions, and especially in the
Mediterranean area, but are of cosmopolitan distribution. The herbs
called mustard are are cultivated for their seeds, which are ground and
used as a condiment.
Isothiocyanates are naturally occurring compounds found in a variety of
cruciferiae. Certain isothiocyanates, are derived from compounds known
as glucosinolates by the action of myrosinase, an enzyme. When you
"bruise" the seed, the enzyme is released.
Powdered mustard seed should be mixed with cold water. Hot water will
kill the enzymes and produce a bitter flavor.
Isothiocyanates at nontoxic concentrations when provided in the diet are
very potent inhibitors of lung and esophageal cancer in rodents induced
by the tobacco specific nitrosamines. The isothiocyanates exert their
inhibitory effects via competitive inhibition of cytochrome P-450
enzymes involved in the metabolic activation of the nitrosamines.
More details at:
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/features/capsaicin.shtml
http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/BotDermFolder/BotDermC/CRUC.html