Uncovering compounds that tame the heat of chili peppers
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-May-2025 14:09 ET (24-May-2025 18:09 GMT/UTC)
When biting into a chili pepper, you expect a fiery sensation on your tongue. This spiciness is detected because of capsaicinoid compounds. But for some peppers, despite high levels of capsaicinoids, the heat is mysteriously dull. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have identified three compounds that lessen peppers’ pungency. These results challenge the reliability of the century-old Scoville scale, which traditionally bases its rating on two capsaicinoids.
A new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology examined associations between diet, drinking water, and “legacy” PFAS—chemicals that were phased out of production in the US in the 2000s—with blood samples from California residents. PFAS exposure was associated with consumption of seafood, eggs, and brown rice, but fewer other foods than suggested by earlier studies. PFAS levels were elevated among people who lived in areas where these chemicals were detectable in their drinking water supply, but lower than levels found in highly contaminated communities.
After its new extension, which increased its computing power fourfold, the Jean Zay supercomputer is now capable of 125.9 million billion operations per second. Hosted and operated by the CNRS’s Institute for Development and Resources in Intensive Scientific Computing (IDRIS), Jean Zay, which was acquired by the French Grand Équipement National de Calcul Intensif (GENCI), has become one of France’s most powerful supercomputers. The official inauguration of this extension, which was announced by the French President, was held on Tuesday, 13 May 2025.
New device can give peace of mind and reduce anxiety for breastfeeding moms. It uses bioimpedance, which is currently used to measure body fat, and streams clinical-grade data to a smartphone or tablet in real time. Developed by physicians and engineers, device was tested by new moms. Technology could particularly benefit fragile babies in the NICU, who have precise nutritional needs.
Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a novel technology that allows the distribution of components within a single cell to be accurately detected and visualized. Positioning a t-SPESI (tapping-mode scanning probe electrospray ionization) unit above an inverted fluorescence microscope allows visualization of both the sample and the exact location of chemical components analyzed. This provides an increased understanding of complex biological samples, aiding the development of advanced therapies and diagnostic techniques.
Researchers in Japan have developed a digital laboratory (dLab) system that fully automates the material synthesis and structural, physical property evaluation of thin-film samples. With dLab, the team can autonomously synthesize thin-film samples and measure their material properties. The team’s dLab system demonstrates advanced automatic and autonomous material synthesis for data- and robot-driven materials science.