Sciencemadness Discussion Board

difference between oleoresin capsaicum and capsaicin

sab - 9-9-2008 at 17:09

So I am trying to explain the difference between oleoresin capsaicum and capsaicin. Anyone have a good, clear way to explain this?
Also oleoresins are derived form different plants including spices, pines, to garlic. If the oleoresin is extracted from capsaicum plants then it is simply the oils which are not hot at all, right? It's the related capsaicin that is the hot part, right?


Edit by C: Title

[Edited on 10-9-2008 by chemoleo]

Maja - 17-9-2008 at 12:16

Oleoresin is rough material straightly extracted from plant/herb without futher purification and percentage of main compound is low ! Maybe half with a lot of other material in the extract ! So I think capsaicin is pure compound.

Here(it's about black pepper, but still..
Quote:

http://www.zarc.com/english/cap-stun/tech_info/oc/#oleoresin
Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is therefore the extract of the dried ripe fruits of Capsicums and contains a complex mixture of essential oils, waxes, colored materials, and several capsaicinoids. It also contains resin acids and their esters, terpenes, and oxidation or polymerization products of these terpenes. One kilogram of Oleoresin Capsicum is equivalent to approximately 18 to 20 kilograms of good grade well-ground capsicum. This ratio may vary depending on the type of capsicum being processed.

Sauron - 17-9-2008 at 16:33

There's a whole book on this subject in the New Books thread in References.

Anyway this ought not to be in Biochemistry, but Organic Chemistry.

sab - 17-9-2008 at 16:52

Sauron,
I don't know a thing about chemistry so I just posted where I had seen a discussion on this topic at an earlier date. I will post it where you suggest, thank you. AND..look up the book.

Maja, thank you very much. I think you figured out that I was just passing through and found this site through google, your explanation appears that way anyway. Hard to find anything on this topic that isn't vague.

Sauron - 17-9-2008 at 18:16

You may need to post a few more times before you can get a Moderator to grant you access to References.

not_important - 28-9-2008 at 18:15

You've posted the same question three times. Go to that new thread you started and delete you past there, so that thread may die.


oleoresin n. :

A naturally occurring mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from various plants

a mixture extracted from a drug by percolation with a volatile solvent, such as acetone, alcohol, or ether, and evaporation of the solvent.

In short, an extract of all materials soluble in acetone or ether, generally fairly to fully non-polar, fat soluble substances.


oleoresin capsaicum:the oleoresin extracted from the fruit of the genus Capsicum.

capsaicin is is fairly non-polar, fat soluble and soluble in acetone and ether.

So now what would you say is the answer to your question? If you still don't know go look at :

http://www.zarc.com/english/cap-stun/tech_info/oc/