The Spiciest Chemical Known to Cooking

Science The Spiciest Chemical Known to Cooking The hottest hot pepper is no match for the spicy heat of the resin spurge Euphorbia resinifera, a cactus-like plant native to Morocco. The resin spurge contains a chemical called resiniferatoxin or RTX, which is a thousand times hotter on the Scoville scale than pure capsaicin, the chemical that makes the heat in hot peppers. READ NOW Advertisement READ THESE How Scientists Tell How Hot a Pepper Is What to Do if You're Exposed to Tear Gas The Safest Way to Dispose of Mercury You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Today I Learned newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here An About.com Brand 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 © 2017 About.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.