[CH] A Chilli a day keeps the bacteria away
stewarpa@cantech.net.au
Wed, 10 Jan 2001 12:36:42 -0000
Dear CHs
Thought this might be of some interest to all.
Pat in Perth WA
Chile Peppers: A Chile a Day Keeps the Bacteria Away
by Mary Megliola Franzen
Chile peppers are not only a tasty
seasoning, they're also a natural pest control and food preservative. Adding
chili powder to birdseed, for example, fends off squirrels without bothering
the birds, while a chile-laden paint for boat hulls keeps barnacles at bay. It
all comes down to which creatures can detect capsaicin--the crystalline
alkaloid that gives chiles their characteristic hot flavor--and which can't.
Even at the microbial level, some bacteria avoid capsaicin. This explains part
of the evolution of world cuisines--specifically, the phenomenon of hot foods
in hot climates. Noticing that the hotter food was, the less likely it was to
spoil, cooks in places like Thailand,Mexico, and Malaysia started adding
healthy doses of chiles to everyday dishes. This helped people avoid serious
food-borne illnesses by keeping away harmful microorganisms. Modern science
supports this idea. In the late 1990s, a Cornell University study found that
capsaicin kills or inhibits up to 75 percent of food-spoiling bacteria. And,
as evolutionary biologists were quick to point out, those who could consume
the hottest foods had the best chances of survival--a trait presumably passed
on to the next generation.
HOT MANGO SALAD
3 jalapeņo chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 green mangoes, pits removed, peeled and julienned
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Combine all of the ingredients in a glass bowl, cover and let sit for 20
minutes to let the flavors blend.
>From The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia, by Dave DeWitt.
Published by HarperCollins.