14 



THE COMPOSITION OF RED PEPPERS. 



The samples were described as follows: 



Chilli Colorado: A mild pepper grown in Mexico. The pods in the sample are 

 of a dull brick color and from 7 to 10 cm long and (flattened) from 2 to 4 cm wide. 

 The stems and calyxes are absent. 



Natal or Durban cayenne pepper: The dark red pods (from 1 to 2 cm broad and 

 5 to 10 cm long) are free from stems and calyxes. 



Nepaul cayenne pepper: A pepper grown in Hindustan with pods 3 to 6 cm long 

 and 1 to 1.5 cm wide, of brown yellow color. 



Zanzibar cayenne pepper: This sample is of fine quality, containing neither stems 

 nor calyxes. The pods (0.5 to 1 cm long and from 0.3 to 0.5 crn wide) are brick red in 

 color. 



Konig l gives for cayenne pepper (average of 1 1 samples) : Moisture 

 8.02 per cent; total ash, 5.61 per cent; insoluble ash, 0.12 per cent; 

 volatile ether extract, 1.12 per cent; nonvolatile ether extract, 19.06 

 per cent; fiber, 21.98 per cent. 



Sindall 2 gives for the total ash and ash insoluble in 10 per cent 

 hydrochloric acid the following results: 



Total ash and acid insoluble ash in cayenne pepper (Sindall). 



1 The numbers in parentheses represent the number of samples examined. 



Sindall's work represents samples of large lots of capsicum cleaned 

 and ground in the factory under his personal supervision, arranged 

 by years to show annual variations. The samples are composites 

 taken at frequent intervals during grinding and each one represents 

 as near as possible the composition of about 500 pounds of ground 

 capsicum. 



SUMMARY. 



In Table 2 have been collected the results on cayenne peppers, 

 giving the limit for ash, ash insoluble in acid, sand free ash, volatile 

 ether extract, nonvolatile ether extract, and crude fiber, giving the 

 maximum and minimum of the results obtained by this laboratory 

 on the cleaned product, and also the maximum and minimum of 

 the results taken from the literature. A study of the results obtained 

 by the authors will show that the peppers seem to be quite uniform 

 in composition, especially so when the sand is removed. The results 



H'hemie der menschlichen Nahrungs-und Genussmittel, 1903, 1: 953; 1904, : 1037. 

 J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 1911, 3: 753. ' 



