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FoodSurprise 4/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 17, 2026

The spiciest part of a chili pepper is not the seeds, but the white pith inside.

Why it is true

This is a common myth. Capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for the heat, is concentrated mainly in the placenta, the white, spongy tissue that holds the seeds, not in the seeds themselves. The seeds only seem spicy because they are in direct contact with this tissue.

Source: Scientific American

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