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Q: Dear Dave:
I am a small manufacturer of hot sauces and I am looking for a source of capsaicin and oleoresin extracts approx 1,000,000 – 2,000,000 Scoville Units (or more if possible). Can I get this in a "natural" form? Please tell me the difference between the capsaicin and oleoresin extracts, and the sources for these products. Any general idea on pricing?
Regards,
Skip
A: Hello Skip:
To answer your questions, Kalsec is an excellent supplier of oleoresin capsicum. I think their website is www.kalsec.com but you can do a Google search for them if this is not correct. I don’t know what you mean by a "natural form." If you mean not synthetic but processed from chiles, the answer is yes. Remember, though, a very small amount of chiles are organically grown. Chiles are processed, or refined to eventually reach pure capsaicin, which is a white alkaloid that is extremely powerful and dangerous. The middle stage in the processing from chiles to pure capsaicin is an oil, oleoresin capsicum. Think of sugar being refined from cane to pure, granular form. You will have to contact Kalsec for pricing.
–Dave
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