Identification of a Novel Pungent Compound in Chili Peppers

Capsaicinoids are a widely studied class of compounds known for causing pungency perception in chili peppers (<i>Capsicum spp</i>.). However, there is an inadequate understanding of the impact of other endogenous chili pepper compounds on pungency perception. A nontargeted flavoromics approach utilizing liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry combined with time-intensity analysis (max intensity) was applied to 10 chili pepper samples to investigate compounds contributing to pungency perception. Orthogonal partial least-squares modeling was conducted to select predictive and positively correlated markers of maximum pungency intensity. The model showed good fit and predictivity (<i>R</i>² <i>Y</i> > 0.993, <i>Q</i>² > 0.934). Four novel alkyl amides, named Fataline A, Fataline B, Fataline C, and Fataline D, were identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. Sensory analysis revealed Fataline A was pungent at elevated concentrations and exhibited a distinct time-intensity profile, with a 3-fold faster decrease in intensity than capsaicin. The discovery of a noncapsaicinoid pungent compound highlights the complexity of chili pepper pungency perception.