




The name paprika itself is derived from the Hungarian word paprika, which refers to both the spice and the peppers from which it is made. The term paprika has become synonymous with the ground spice made from dried red peppers, and it is widely used in various cuisines around the world.
How Hot Is Paprika?
Let's get into some history. Capsaicin was first extracted in 1816 by Christian Fridrich. Further work by John Clough Thresh led to its naming in 1876, but it wasn´t until 1898 that Karl Micko isolated the compound in pure crystalline form. A century later, in 1997, David Julius discovered and cloned the cellular receptor for capsaicin, and brought a new level of understanding on how capsaicin works. We´ll get more into this science in the second part of this blog.