Pungency: Scoville Heat Units
Pungency comes from capsaicinoids, mainly capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Modern laboratories measure them by high-performance liquid chromatography (ASTA method 21.3) in parts per million and convert to Scoville Heat Units, with one ppm of total capsaicinoids taken as roughly 15 SHU. The old taste-panel Scoville test is no longer used commercially.
Indian varieties span 1,500 SHU (Kashmiri-type) to 100,000 SHU (Teja S17). Pungency varies within a variety by season, field and seed content, so specify a range of about 20 to 25 percent width, for example 30,000 to 40,000 SHU, and ask for the HPLC value on the certificate of analysis. If your product needs a fixed point, ask for a blend held to that point rather than a single variety.
Colour: ASTA value
ASTA colour value measures the extractable red and yellow carotenoid pigments, principally capsanthin, by acetone extraction and spectrophotometer reading at 460 nm under ASTA method 20.1. Byadgi reaches 150 to 200 ASTA, 341 and Kashmiri-type 90 to 180, Sannam 30 to 50, Teja 50 to 70.
Colour degrades with light, oxygen, heat and time, typically losing a few ASTA units a month in ordinary warehouse conditions. Specify the ASTA value at shipment, store cool and dark, and if your process is colour-critical, ask for a value at least 10 units above your minimum in use. Note that ASTA colour and the visual redness of a powder are related but not identical: a fine grind looks brighter than a coarse one at the same ASTA.
Moisture, particle size and physical parameters
| Parameter | Typical specification | Method | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture | Below 10 % (powder, flakes); below 12 % (whole pods) | Oven drying or Karl Fischer | Mould, aflatoxin risk and caking rise sharply above 11 to 12 percent |
| Particle size | 40 mesh (coarse), 60 mesh (standard), 80 mesh (fine); flakes 2 to 6 mm | Sieve analysis | Dispersion in sauces, appearance, dust; finer grinds lose colour faster |
| Total ash | Below 8 % | Gravimetric | Mineral content; high values suggest adulteration or poor cleaning |
| Acid-insoluble ash | Below 1.25 % | Gravimetric | Sand and grit; the cleaning-line indicator |
| Extraneous matter | Below 1 % | Visual and sieve | Stems, stones, foreign seed |
| Bulk density | As agreed | Graduated cylinder | Filling and dosing equipment |
Safety parameters
These are the tests customs authorities and retailer audits actually run. Write them into the specification with the limit and the method, and ask for them on each batch certificate.
- Sudan dyes I to IV. Illegal colourants. Zero tolerance in the EU, US and most markets; laboratories report against a 0.5 mg/kg analytical limit. Test by LC-MS/MS.
- Aflatoxins. EU limits for dried Capsicum are 5 µg/kg for B1 and 10 µg/kg total (Regulation 2023/915); the US action level is 20 µg/kg total. Test by HPLC or LC-MS/MS.
- Ochratoxin A. EU limit 15 µg/kg for dried chilli.
- Ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol. For EU and UK lots, below 0.02 mg/kg (sum, expressed as ETO), by GC-MS/MS or LC-MS/MS.
- Pesticide residues. Multi-residue screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS against the EU MRL list (default 0.01 mg/kg) or US tolerances. Name your priority actives; chlorpyrifos, profenofos, acephate and triazophos are the usual concerns on Indian chilli.
- Heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury against Regulation 2023/915 or your national limits.
- Microbiology. Salmonella absent in 25 g; total plate count, yeasts and moulds, E. coli, coliforms to your limits, measured after treatment.
- Declarations. 100 percent chilli with no added colour, salt, oil, starch or anti-caking agent unless agreed; allergen and GMO statements; treatment (steam, ETO, none).
A specification template you can copy
Replace the values with your own. Everything in this template can be produced on the current Guntur crop.
| Line | Example |
|---|---|
| Product | Red chilli powder, Sannam S4 (334), 100 percent chilli, no additives |
| Origin | Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India; crop year stated on COA |
| Pungency | 30,000 to 40,000 SHU by HPLC (ASTA 21.3) |
| Colour | Minimum 40 ASTA at shipment (ASTA 20.1) |
| Moisture | Below 10 percent at packing |
| Particle size | 60 mesh, minimum 95 percent passing |
| Ash / acid-insoluble ash | Below 8 percent / below 1.25 percent |
| Treatment | Steam sterilisation, validated facility, certificate per lot |
| Contaminants | Sudan I to IV not detected; aflatoxin B1 below 5 µg/kg, total below 10 µg/kg; ETO plus 2-CE below 0.02 mg/kg; pesticides per EU MRL |
| Microbiology | Salmonella absent in 25 g; TPC below 10,000 cfu/g; yeasts and moulds below 1,000 cfu/g; E. coli below 10 cfu/g |
| Packing | 25 kg multi-wall paper bags with food-grade PE liner, palletised, ISPM 15 pallets |
| Documents | Batch COA from NABL-accredited laboratory, treatment certificate, phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, Spices Board health certificate (EU) |
| Shelf life | 18 months from packing, stored cool and dry below 25 degrees Celsius |
The specification builder on this site walks through the same lines step by step, estimates the container count for your quantity and sends the sheet to Richvane with your enquiry.
Questions on this topic
What is a good ASTA colour value for chilli powder?
It depends on the variety and use. Sannam S4 runs 30 to 50 ASTA, Teja 50 to 70, 341 90 to 120, Kashmiri-type 120 to 180 and Byadgi 150 to 200. Colour-led products such as paprika-style seasonings usually specify a minimum of 100 to 150 ASTA; all-purpose retail powder is often 35 to 50. Specify the value at shipment because colour falls slowly in storage.
How many SHU is Indian chilli powder?
Between about 1,500 SHU for Kashmiri-type and 100,000 SHU for Teja S17. Sannam S4, the most common export powder, is 25,000 to 40,000 SHU. Pungency is measured by HPLC and reported as a range because it varies by season and field.
What mesh size should chilli powder be?
Most export chilli powder is 60 mesh; 40 mesh is used for coarse blends and 80 mesh for fine applications such as coatings and sauces where no particles should be visible. Finer grinds lose colour faster, so do not specify finer than you need.
What moisture content should chilli powder have?
Below 10 percent at packing for powder and flakes, and below 12 percent for whole pods. Above about 11 to 12 percent the risk of mould growth, aflatoxin formation and caking rises quickly.
Which tests should be on a chilli powder certificate of analysis?
At minimum: ASTA colour, pungency in SHU by HPLC, moisture, total and acid-insoluble ash, Sudan dyes I to IV, aflatoxin B1 and total, Salmonella in 25 g, total plate count, yeasts and moulds and E. coli. For the EU add ethylene oxide plus 2-chloroethanol, and a pesticide multi-residue screen when your customer requires it. Richvane's standard batch COA covers all of these.
Sources
- ASTA analytical methods 20.1 (extractable colour) and 21.3 (pungency by HPLC)
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, maximum levels for contaminants in food
- Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, pesticide maximum residue levels
- US FDA, compliance policy guide on aflatoxin action levels
- Richvane product specifications and specification builder