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Dear Dave
Here is my question: "Many times I found notice about the possibility that chile peppers were in China and Africa before Columbus arrived in America." What do you think about this?
Dave in Italy
Dave:
What happened is this: Portuguese explorers and traders carried chile peppers to Africa, India and Asia from about 1500-1600. Chiles were planted and also spread by birds. Two hundred years later, chiles were very well established, and English and other European explorers found chiles and believed they are native to this area. They are not. Like tomatoes, tobacco, and potatoes, chiles are New World plants, for certain.
–Dave
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