Measuring the heat of chilli products is far more nuanced than simply assigning a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) value. During a recent webinar, a number of insightful questions were raised around methodology, sample handling, and the interpretation of results. This blog brings those answers together to provide a clearer, practical understanding of how chilli pungency is measured using the Zimmer & Peacock system. A Consistent Approach to Measurement: The Role of the Buffer Solutio

In today’s fast-moving food and beverage industry, the ability to generate reliable, on-site analytical insights is becoming increasingly valuable. From quality control to procurement decisions, businesses need tools that go beyond theoretical lab precision and instead provide actionable results within real-world commercial ranges. Food Sense Technology is designed with this exact purpose in mind — offering a rapid, portable alternative to traditional laboratory methods, whil

Understanding the heat level of chilli-based products is essential for quality control, product development, and accurate labelling. In this live webinar and demonstration, we explored how to measure capsaicin—the compound responsible for heat—in a variety of chilli samples using the FoodSense Generation 4 system. This session covered real-world testing across fresh chillies, chilli powders, sauces, and oleoresins, while highlighting how preparation techniques and sample type

When analysing chilli extracts like habanero oleoresin, one assumption often creeps into the workflow: scale shouldn’t matter as long as the dilution is correct. In practice, however, scale can dramatically influence your results — especially when extraction efficiency is involved. In this post, we walk through a real-world comparison using the FoodSense Generation 4 system, demonstrating how identical dilution ratios can still produce vastly different Scoville Heat Unit (SHU

When it comes to hot sauces, labels can often be misleading. Words like “hot” or “fiery” don’t always translate into real, measurable heat. In this post, we put that to the test by analysing Fuego Red Jalapeño Hot Chilli Sauce using the FoodSense Generation 4 device—sometimes referred to as a Scoville meter. Let’s walk through the process, the results, and what they actually mean. First Impressions: Aroma and Expectations Before any measurements, the sauce was assessed inform

A quick, practical demonstration using a retail hot sauce In this short demonstration, we put a retail hot sauce to the test using FoodSense Generation 4, our latest solution for measuring chilli heat accurately and transparently. Hot sauces often come wrapped in dramatic branding—skulls, warning labels, and “death-tier” claims—but how hot are they really? Rather than relying on marketing or vague Scoville claims, this video shows how FoodSense Gen 4 measures actual Scoville

A live demonstration of modern, objective hot sauce heat measurement using FoodSense Generation Four 🌶️ Live Streaming Webinar & Instrument Demo 📅Morning Session Register now to secure your place 📅 Afternoon Session Register now to secure your place Turn Heat into Data: Measure Scoville Heat Units with Confidence Hot sauce consumers expect consistency. Regulators demand accuracy. Product developers need speed. Join us for a live streaming webinar and demonstration focused

Introduction to Curcumin and Turmeric as a Natural Product Curcumin is the key active compound found in turmeric, responsible for its distinctive flavour, pungency, and vibrant colour. Beyond its culinary appeal, curcumin is widely recognised for its antioxidant properties and its reputation as a health-supporting natural product. Because of this, curcumin content is of growing interest across the food, nutraceutical, and ingredient supply industries. In this short demo, we s

Understanding the heat level of chili‑based products is essential—especially when they’re designed for creative applications like cocktails. In this demonstration, we show how FoodSense Generation 4 can be used to accurately measure Scoville Heat Units (SHU) in the Niseko chili cocktail mixer , and how those results compare to a familiar benchmark: Tabasco® sauce . This example highlights not only the speed and simplicity of FoodSense measurements, but also the scientific t

Samples: CatSpring Yaupon - Texas Native Yaupon Tea: Marfa, Lost Maples, Pedernales In this study, we set out to answer a straightforward but important question: How much caffeine is present in different drinks, and how clearly can it be distinguished from antioxidants? Using the FoodSense Generation 4 system with a caffeine sensor, we analysed a range of beverages including specialty teas from the USA, instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and a synthetic energy drink (Red

Contact us – https://www.foodsensetechnology.com/contact-us In this live, no‑editing demonstration, we show how FoodSense Generation 4 measures the Scoville Heat Units (SHU) of a real-world hot sauce sample. Filmed exactly as recorded, this video walks through sample preparation, sensor setup, app control, and real-time analysis using the FoodSense Gen 4 chili sensor . The sauce tested is Slap Ya Mama Cajun Hot Sauce by Walker & Sons , picked up at a London show just days e

In this video, we demonstrate how to measure a ginger super‑soluble extract using the FoodSense Generation 4 system. The sample tested is a highly pungent, oily ginger distillate/extract, described as “super soluble,” and requires a modified preparation approach to ensure accurate results. We walk step by step through the sample preparation , including an experimental pre‑dilution with 96% ethanol to help solubilise the oily matrix, followed by a high dilution into buffer

In this video, we walk through a real, experimental analysis of a high‑spec ginger sample using the FoodSense electrochemical sensing platform. The focus is on sample preparation challenges with highly viscous, oily materials and how small changes—such as adding ethanol prior to dilution—can dramatically affect extractability and measurement outcomes. You’ll see a step‑by‑step dilution workflow , discussion around pipetting vs weighing viscous samples , and a transparent lo

In this live, unscripted demo, we measure the heat intensity of habanero resin samples using the FoodSense electrochemical sensing platform. The video walks through real‑world sample preparation, dilution strategies, and live sensor measurements, showing how the system responds to both mild and extremely intense capsaicin samples. Starting with a recap of an earlier mild habanero resin (after correcting for dilution), we then move on to a second, far more potent sample. You’l

In this video, we walk through a practical sample‑preparation workflow for measuring capsaicin in a habanero resin using a FoodSense chili sensor and the Djuli app . The habanero product is labelled as a resin, but behaves more like an oil, which introduces challenges around solubility and extraction. We explore a modified preparation approach that introduces a 96% ethanol pre‑mix step before adding the aqueous buffer, with the goal of improving capsaicin extraction and ov

Using FoodSense Gen 4 to Analyse “Breath of the Dragon” 🌶️ Retail hot sauces often come with dramatic names— “Breath of the Dragon” , “Inferno Blaze” , “Ultimate Fire” . But how hot are they really? In my latest test, I walked through a full end‑to‑end Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) measurement using the FoodSense Generation 4 system. Here’s what happened 👇 🔬 1. Sample Prep: The Most Important Part Retail sauces are typically mild, so dilution is key. Started with 100 µL of sa

Today I walked through a full, real‑time measurement of a mild Cajun chili sauce using our chili‑heat sensor technology. Although this sauce wasn’t especially hot, it made for a perfect demonstration of how the system adapts automatically depending on sample strength. Here’s the workflow I followed: 🧪 1. Sample Preparation Took 100 µL of sauce Mixed into 900 µL of chili buffer (1:10 dilution) Vortexed thoroughly and prepared 50 µL for the sensor The app immediately recog

In my latest test, I walked through the full process of measuring the capsaicin content — and therefore the true heat — of a standard retail hot sauce using the Food Sense Generation 4 system. 🌡 What I measured A Chipotle-style Fuego hot sauce. Retail sauces like this are usually intentionally mild — supermarkets avoid very high-Scoville products due to customer safety and complaints. 🧪 How the test works 1. Setup Food Sense Gen 4 meter Fresh chili sensor Mobile app...

In this blog, I walk through a complete demonstration of measuring the Scoville Heat Units (SHU) of Mike’s Hot Honey using the FoodSense Generation 4 platform. The goal is not only to measure the heat level once, but to perform multiple repeat tests to understand test‑to‑test variability, and to show how results are automatically uploaded and stored in the Djuli cloud system for long‑term tracking and quality management. If you are a FoodSense Gen 4 user and you cannot

When it comes to measuring the heat level of chilies or chili powders, one common question we receive at FoodSense is about how our technology compares to High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Let's dive into this topic and explore why understanding these differences can be crucial for anyone involved in the spice industry. The Challenge of Consistency Imagine you're a chili powder breeder, handler, or dealer based in Southeast Asia. You've just received HPLC results