What is paprika: how it is made, what origins it has and the characteristics of this spice

There paprika it’s much more than just a simple one spectheto: it is the fruit of a rich botanical, historical and food tradition. The origin of the name probably derives from the Slavic term “papar”, which means pepper. It is not a mix of ingredients but a very fine powder of dried red peppers (bell peppers) which is used in the culinary field to decorate and flavor foods. Initially added to poor peasant dishes, paprika has become one of the symbols of Hungarian, Spanish and South American food culture maintaining its identity to this day. Spicy, Sweet or smoked whatever it is, it is also enhanced on a nutritional level thanks to accurate food inspections and the presence of antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids and vitamin C.

What is paprika and how is it made

There paprika it is a spice obtained from grinding red peppers belonging to the Capsicum genus, mainly known under the scientific name of Capsicum annuum. It is a species that is part of the family of Solanaceae (which also includes tomatoes and aubergines) originally from Central and South America. It is mainly used in cooking to flavor savory dishes but also as a food coloring. Paprika can be sweet, spicy or smokeddepending on the botanical variety used and the treatment involved in its production.

The agricultural qualities of Capsicum can vary from very spicy fruits to those very sweetwith more or less high degrees of vitamin C, passing from very intense color shades such as bright red to lighter shades, reaching yellow or brown colours. A wide one ensues diversity of dust available on the global culinary market, also interesting from a chromatic point of view for decorating dishes.

The peppers chosen for the production of paprika contain various bioactive organic compounds such as carotenoids (capsanthin, capsorubin, zeaxanthin), vitamin C, tocophenols, flavonoids, sugars And organic acidssome of which are known for their properties antioxidants. In particular the capsaicin it is an important evaluation element as it contributes to spiciness: in fact, in sweet or only pungent varieties it is present to a minimal extent. It will also be the quality of the fruit and its relative quantity of seeds and spicy parts in the body to give a certain degree of spiciness to the final product.

A spice from overseas: the origin of paprika

Although paprika is known to be the basic spice of Hungarian culturehis origin is South American. Red peppers were already cultivated by the Aztecs and other peoples of Mexico over 3,500 years ago and were imported into Europe only later in the 16th century by Christopher Columbus and the Spanish traffickers, who exported them overseas. From Spain and Portugal they then spread in Mediterranean basinin the Balkans and in what was the Ottoman Empire and Asia. Especially in Hungaryunder Turkish influence, paprika became the basic ingredient of national cuisine as early as the 16th-17th century, so much so that it was defined as the national spice.

How paprika is produced

Even today, after centuries of traditions handed down, the paprika production chain remains virtually unchanged, improved and supported by modern lines of production responsibility and food safety. Its production requires selected seeds, methodical harvesting, controlled drying, refined quality management and optimal conservation to obtain a product that is not only safe but also tasty. The processing steps include some crucial phases which we list below.

Cultivation

Specifics are selected cultivars of Capsicum annuum (generally red fruit), often uniformly ripe. Depending on market demands and the location of cultivation, the fruits can have different sizes, shades and degrees of spiciness. The characteristics of pepper fruits are influenced by varietybut also from environmental factors which intervene during the formation of flowers and the early development of fruits. Among these we find the availability of water, solar radiation and temperature which can alter the quality and appearance of the pepper so much as to make it marketable or not.

Harvesting and drying

Once the fruits have reached full maturity they are harvested, when their color is intense red and the carotenoid content is high. They are then dried in various ways: in the air, in the sun or in monitored ovens in order to preserve its pigments and nutrients, avoiding the degradation of vitamin C and carotenoids.

Grinding and quality control

As soon as the peppers have reached the right level of drying they are reduced into one red powder very fine, which is then sieved and carefully checked to guarantee a certain quality quality standards (colour, fineness, carotenoid content and absence of microbiological or chemical contamination). In Hungary, for example, paprika is so central to food culture that it is monitored by rigid internal control systems, state inspections and monitoring to prevent fraud or contamination.

Conservation

Storage is critic: the temperature and type of packaging influence the stability of carotenoids and vitamin C over time and determine the overall quality and durability of the product. The powder is stored in plastic or glass jars, in airtight bags or vacuum-packed and then shipped to the sorting center to be exported or sold locally.

Curiosities about paprika

To conclude, here is a short list of spicy curiosities:

• In Hungarian the term “paprika” indicates both the fruit and the spice derivative;
• In Hungary the pepper harvest is celebrated as a ritual: the fruits are hung in long colorful garlands to be dried as tradition dictates, thanks to the action of sun and wind. A well-known paprika festival is held regularly in September in the town of Kalocsa
• Among the best-known Hungarian qualities we find különleges (sweet and bright red) édesnemes (classic, noble, sweet) rozsa (sweet, rosé), Eros (spicy), in Spain however it is common pimentón;
• Some data leads us to think that Capsicuum annuum it was the first domesticated vegetable of history not to be eaten by birds
• Paprika is used as a natural flavoring and coloring in the preparation of sausages, eggs, stews and meat and fish dishes such as Goulash and the Paprikash;
• The spiciness of paprika is measured with the Scoville scale;
• After the cholera epidemic that hit Hungary in 1831, paprika was used as a drug capable of treating the infected. Its high concentration of vitamin C, although not conclusive, could however increase the well-being of patients thanks to the positive effects on the immune system.
• The Hungarian scientist Albert Szent-Györgyi he was the first to isolate vitamin C using peppers Capsicum annuum, thus receiving the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology in 1937.