Capsicum CO2 extract comes from the species capsicum frutescens and it is a bright orange and red thick with the typical cayenne aroma. The natural ingredient in the extract is capsaicin and it is source of both heat and known benefits of the extract. The capsaicin content comes as low as 0.9% to as high as 6%. The reason for the change in range of capsaicin is because of the raw materials used for the extraction of the extract. If the seed and inner pepper are used, the capsaicin content will be better and if the red outer pepper is used then the capsaicin content will be lower. The botanical name is capsicum annum and the plant parts used for extraction are crushed capsicum. The extraction method is SCFE.
Family
Capsicum is a kind of plant from the family of solanaceae. Some types of capsicum are used as spices, medicines and vegetables. The name of the fruit changes depending on the place and type of the plant. The fruits are generally called chili pepper and in Britain and the US it is called just pepper. Large type fruits which are mild are called the bell pepper, capsicum in some places and paprika in some other countries. Powder of the dried capsicum fruits is also called paprika in some places. The hot types of fruits are called chillies in Australia.
Application
The capsicum fruits originated in South and Central America but now it is cultivated all over the world. It is commonly used in food recipes and in some medicines also. The extract is soluble in vegetable oils but insoluble in water and it has the characteristic pungent odour of chillies. It is better to use compatible additives and diluents because non-compatible diluents and additives can lead to sedimentation. Before applying the oil on the skin it has to be diluted. It can be diluted with any carrier oil at the ratio of 75:25 (25% capsicum CO2 extract). Even at this ratio the capsaicin content will be .875. To apply on the body the dilution should not be higher than 5%. Any higher ration of dilution may create problems because capsaicin is the source of heat.