I've noticed over the years that when my food, which was initially very spicy, has cooled down, it doesn't seem as spicy anymore.
Why is that?
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2I believe that heating something releases the volatiles in food. In the case of chilis that would be heat and the chili flavor. – Steve Chambers Apr 18 '19 at 23:09
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https://cooking.stackexchange.com/q/94441/4638 related – rumtscho Apr 19 '19 at 10:46
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Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers spicy, activates a sensory receptor which can also be activated by heat. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin#Mechanism_of_action)
That means that when a food is spicy and hot, you feel both types of heat using the same sense! When the food has cooled and you're not feeling the heat (temperature) any more, it no longer adds to the feeling of spicyness.
Tom Smilack
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Allowing things to cool below body-temperature will reduce your perception of spiciness.
Ammar Naseer
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