Capsicum frutescens / C. annuum · Family: Solanaceae · Fruit Oleoresin
Capsicum oleoresin is the pungency end of the capsicum range — bought for capsaicinoid concentration rather than for colour, and reaching strengths where the material is genuinely hazardous to handle. We declare capsaicinoids by HPLC, screen Sudan dyes, and supply handling guidance with the specification rather than after an incident.
Where the capsicum range goes when colour stops mattering
Capsicum oleoresin is the high-pungency end of the capsicum extract family. Where paprika oleoresin is bought for colour and chilli oleoresin balances heat with colour, capsicum oleoresin is bought for capsaicinoid concentration — and at the top of the range for very little else.
That focus changes the specification. Colour value becomes secondary or irrelevant, and total capsaicinoids by HPLC becomes the whole commercial basis, with SHU derived from it on a stated conversion. Grades run from food-grade high-heat material up to concentrated extracts used in industrial, pharmaceutical and defensive applications.
It also changes the handling requirement, and this is not a formality. High-capsaicinoid oleoresin is a strongly irritant material: contact with skin causes intense and persistent burning, aerosols affect eyes and airways severely, and capsaicin is not water-soluble, so rinsing with water spreads rather than removes it. Anyone specifying this product needs their handling procedures and personal protective equipment sorted before the drum arrives.
We declare capsaicinoids by HPLC with the SHU basis stated, screen Sudan dyes I–IV as on all chilli-derived material, test residual solvent by GC, and supply handling guidance alongside the specification.
The pungent fraction
The principal pungent capsaicinoid and the major contributor to measured heat.
The second major capsaicinoid; with capsaicin it makes up most of the total capsaicinoid figure.
A minor capsaicinoid included in the total assay and contributing to the overall pungency character.
Further minor capsaicinoids completing the total assay.
Present but secondary on this product — where colour matters, paprika or chilli oleoresin is the appropriate choice.
Vegetable oil or emulsifier system used to standardise a grade to a fixed SHU; named with inclusion level.
Why formulators specify a fully declared capsicum oleoresin
Total capsaicinoids assayed and SHU derived on a stated conversion basis, so quotations compare like with like.
High-capsaicinoid material is strongly irritant and capsaicin is not water-soluble. Guidance ships with the specification.
As on all chilli-derived material, given the documented history and continuing import controls.
Solvent named and tested every batch — the defining control on any solvent-extracted product.
Standardised grades name the carrier and inclusion level, so two materials at the same nominal SHU compare honestly.
India's largest chilli trading hub gives the deepest raw-material base for high-pungency extraction.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Pungency grades and dispersible forms
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capsicum Oleoresin (Food Grade) High heat | Capsaicinoids by HPLC; SHU basis stated | Dark red to reddish brown viscous liquid | Hot sauces, snack seasoning, ready meals | Oil-soluble |
| Capsicum Oleoresin (Concentrated) Very high heat | Elevated capsaicinoids; SHU basis stated | Dark reddish brown viscous liquid | Concentrated dosing, industrial food use | Oil-soluble |
| Capsicum Oleoresin WD Water-dispersible | Emulsified; capsaicinoids declared | Red dispersible liquid or powder | Beverages, dry blends, aqueous systems | Water-dispersible |
| Capsaicin (Purified) Quoted separately | Purified capsaicinoid — different product | Off-white crystalline powder | Pharmaceutical and speciality applications | Poorly water-soluble |
| Paprika / Chilli Oleoresin Quoted separately | Colour-led and balanced products | Deep red viscous liquid | Where colour matters more than heat | Oil-soluble |
Buy this product on capsaicinoids, not on colour. Where colour contribution matters, paprika oleoresin (colour, effectively no heat) or chilli oleoresin (both) is the correct specification — capsicum oleoresin at the top of the range delivers heat with limited colour value. Note that SHU is derived from the capsaicinoid assay on a stated conversion basis, so confirm that any two quotations use the same basis before comparing them. Where a grade is standardised with a carrier, the carrier and inclusion level are named. Handling guidance is supplied with every grade and should be read before the material is received.
Full product specification for Capsicum Oleoresin, food grade. Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Capsicum frutescens L. / C. annuum L. | — |
| Plant Family | Solanaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried fruit (pod) | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Appearance | Viscous liquid | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Dark red to reddish brown* | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic, intensely pungent | Organoleptic |
| Total Capsaicinoids (% w/w) | To grade — declared per batch | By HPLC |
| Pungency (SHU) | Derived from capsaicinoids; conversion basis stated | Calculated from HPLC |
| Colour Value | Reported where relevant — secondary on this product | Spectrophotometric |
| Sudan Dyes I–IV | Not detected | By HPLC / LC-MS-MS |
| Solubility | Oil-soluble; water-dispersible grade available | — |
| Carrier / Diluent | Declared with inclusion level (standardised grades) | Declaration |
| Handling | Strongly irritant — guidance and MSDS supplied | Declaration |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 1.0 | Karl Fischer |
| Residual Solvent | Solvent named; within permitted limits — every batch | By GC |
| Lead (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Arsenic (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Cadmium (ppm) | NMT 0.3 | ICP-MS |
| Mercury (ppm) | NMT 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pesticide Residues | Complies (EU MRL, on request) | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Aflatoxins B1 / Total (ppb) | NMT 2 / NMT 4 | HPLC-FLD |
| Ochratoxin A (ppb) | NMT 10 | HPLC-FLD |
| Total Plate Count (cfu/g) | NMT 10,000 | USP <2021> |
| Yeast & Moulds (cfu/g) | NMT 100 | USP <2021> |
| Escherichia coli | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Salmonella sp. | Absent | USP <2022> |
| HS Code | 3301.90 | — |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dark place below 25°C, tightly closed, protected from light | — |
*Colour varies with grade, carrier and capsaicinoid concentration. This is a pungency product and should be bought on capsaicinoids. Colour value is reported where relevant but is secondary here; if colour contribution matters to your application, paprika or chilli oleoresin is the right specification. Note that SHU is derived from the capsaicinoid assay using a stated conversion, so the primary measurement is the capsaicinoid percentage and two quotations should be compared on that basis rather than on headline Scoville figures of unknown derivation. Sudan dyes are screened and reported as not detected, as on all chilli-derived material, given the documented adulteration history and continuing official import controls on chilli products from several origins. Handling deserves attention before the material arrives: high-capsaicinoid oleoresin is strongly irritant to skin, eyes and airways, and capsaicin is not water-soluble — rinsing with water spreads it. Guidance and MSDS ship with every batch. Residual solvent is named and tested by GC every batch.
From pod to declared pungency — assayed, screened, documented
Raw Material: Produced from high-pungency Capsicum pods sourced principally from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, the world's largest chilli trading hub. Incoming pods are assayed for capsaicinoid content before extraction, since the raw material determines the achievable grade and the yield economics of a high-pungency product.
Extraction & Testing: Produced at certified facilities in India. Each batch is assayed for total capsaicinoids by HPLC with SHU calculated on a stated basis. Sudan dyes I–IV are screened and reported as not detected, and residual solvent is tested by GC against the named solvent. Contaminant testing covers moisture, heavy metals by ICP-MS, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, pesticide residue screening and a full microbiological panel.
Documentation: Every shipment ships against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis stating the marker assay, volatile oil where applicable, the solvent used and its residual level, and carrier with inclusion level where applicable, together with an MSDS. Halal, Kosher and Organic certification are available — see our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Capsicum Oleoresin oleoresin
Key information for global product registration and labelling
We would rather put this in the regulatory section than bury it in an MSDS attachment, because the consequences land on people rather than on paperwork. High-capsaicinoid oleoresin is a strongly irritant material. Skin contact causes intense, persistent burning; aerosols and splashes affect eyes and airways severely; and because capsaicin is not water-soluble, the instinctive response of rinsing with water spreads the material rather than removing it. Operations handling this product need appropriate personal protective equipment, adequate ventilation or extraction at transfer points, procedures written for spills and skin contact, and staff briefed before first receipt rather than after an incident. Dilute grades are considerably more forgiving than concentrated ones, and where a formulation permits it, specifying a diluted or dispersible grade is a legitimate risk-reduction decision. Handling guidance and MSDS ship with every batch.
As with all chilli-derived materials, Sudan dye screening is standard rather than exceptional. Sudan dyes are illegal industrial azo colourants whose discovery in chilli products prompted large-scale European product withdrawals and sustained official import controls on chilli and chilli-derived products from a number of origins. We screen Sudan I–IV on every batch and report as not detected. Buyers should confirm the current control status for their destination before shipping, since listings and control frequencies are periodically revised.
Every oleoresin is a solvent-extracted product, which makes residual solvent its defining quality control rather than an afterthought. Permitted extraction solvents and their maximum residues are set by the destination market's rules and differ by solvent class. We name the solvent used on every certificate and test each batch by GC. Buyers should confirm the solvent is permitted for their market and application — a supplier who will not name it has made that check impossible. Where a specific solvent system is required, it can be specified at order.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI Central Licence holder, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Raw material is sourced principally from Guntur, the world's largest chilli trading hub. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with export documentation available on request. This product is supplied as a food ingredient and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Guides on capsicum specification, pungency and compliance
How heat and colour are specified separately, SHU derivation and Sudan dye testing.
ComparisonThe colour-led product at the other end of the same range.
RegulatoryResidue limits and screening for India-origin ingredients.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian botanicals.
Other capsicum products from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
High-pungency grades with capsaicinoids by HPLC, SHU basis stated, Sudan dyes screened and handling guidance supplied. Tell us your target capsaicinoid content. Samples for qualified buyers.
Supplied as a bulk ingredient for further manufacture. Buyers are responsible for compliance with the regulations of their destination market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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