Inside a chilli fruit, the highest concentration of capsaicinoids can be found in the join between the membrane lining of the chilli wall and the whitish pith where the seeds are attached. This is where the capsaicin glands lurk, waiting to ambush an unsuspecting cook.
Capsaicinoids are the pharmacologically active components of hot peppers that have been part of the diet for centuries. They constitute a family of natural products isolated from the dried fruit of chili peppers. 1. The variability of their content in fresh peppers is related to the pungency of the pepper.