By Valerie B. Ebenki
Faculty mentor: Dr. Sarah Smith
2:00-2:50pm, HCC 329
Signal One 2.0 Beer from the Maltese Brewing is a candidate for the world’s hottest beer infusing approximately 500 Carolina Reaper chilies. The two capsaicinoids involved in over 90% of the heat in hot peppers are capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Thus, the primary objective of this study aims to develop a quantification method that can accurately determine the beers capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin signal using HPLC analysis. This work employs a variety of analytical methods including: external calibrations and standard additions using high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis. Results indicate a possibility that capsaicinoid signals are being masked by a complex matrix of the beer. Once a proper quantification method is discovered, analyses of the beer sample will indicate the hotness in Scoville heat units; possibly supporting the hottest beer in the world.
