Keep chili peppers away from pets. Capsaicin causes severe oral and GI irritation, with possible drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and distress. Capsaicin can also irritate eyes; wash hands after handling hot peppers.
Chili peppers are hot Capsicum pods ranging from mild to extremely hot, including jalapeños, habaneros, serranos, and cayenne. Capsaicin is concentrated in the white ribs and seeds.
Chili peppers are used fresh, dried, or in sauces to add heat to food. They appear in salsas, hot sauces, and spice rubs; dried forms are sold as flakes or ground into powders.
Hot sauces, salsas, and seasoning blends concentrate the heat. Pepper pastes like harissa, sambal, and gochujang are especially potent. Chili powder and cayenne blends often include garlic powder, salt, or onion.
