RE: [CH] Peppers & Vodka
Mary & Riley (uGuys@ChileGarden.com)
Thu, 2 Aug 2001 23:33:32 -0700
> Capsaicin is not an acid- it is an amide.
Yeah. What you say, Jim. I have the structural formula on a t-shirt
but unfortunately went to a Unix meeting tonight. And damn, I shoulda
worn it!
> If it were an acid, we'd be
> doing major damage to ourselves and it would result in tissue damage,
Not really. Vinegar is acid. Stomach fluid is acid.
> which it does not. Drain bamage, maybe ;-)
Probably from sometink else.
>
> Vodka is not alkaline because of it's alcohol content- the one has
> absolutely no relation to the other.
Well, if you look at the formula for ethanol, CH3CH2OH, it does have the
"OH" hydroxyl tail. Which when combined with, say, sodium, makes lye,
sodium hydroxide. Nasty alkaline stuff (a base). And ionic. But in an
alcohol it's not. Water, which is neutral, is HOH. Hydrogen hydroxide.
(Water is _both_ an acid and a base.) So there is a relationship, but
it's not all that obvious and, as you note, doesn't matter.
>
> Alcoholic beverages work because cap is alcohol soluable- it is not
> 'neutralized', just washed away or diluted.
10-4
Riley