The capsaicin content of chillies was measured by using
spectrophotometric method, reported by Sadasivam and
Manickam (1997) with slight modifications. Two gram of
green chilli paste was taken in 100 ml ethyl acetate and
allowed it to stand for 24 h, from that an extract of 1 ml was
taken and made the volume to 5 ml using ethyl acetate, to that
extract, 0.5 ml of vanadium oxy chloride (Sigma Aldrich, India)
solution (vanadium oxychloride 0.5% in ethyl acetate) was
added just before taking the absorbance of the sample. Pure
capsaicin (0.01%) in ethyl acetate (10 mg in 100 ml) was taken
as standard. The absorbance of the blank, standard and
sample was read at 720 nm. A colour change was observed
after the addition of vanadium oxychloride, the extract
changed from green to yellow colour. The readings were
taken when the extract was in green colour.