View source for Jalapeño

{{short description|Hot pepper}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox cultivar
| name = Jalapeño
| image = Immature jalapeno capsicum annuum var annuum.jpeg
| image_caption = Immature jalapeños still on the plant
| species = ''[[Capsicum annuum]]''
| cultivar = Jalapeño
| origin = Mexico
| module = {{Infobox pepper
| embed = yes
| scoville = 4,000 to 8,500
| heat = Hot
}}
}}
The '''jalapeño''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|ˌ|h|æ|l|ə|ˈ|p|ɛ|n|j|əʊ}} {{respell|HAL|ə|PEH|nyoh}}, {{IPAc-en|US|ˌ|h|ɑː|l|ə|ˈ|p|eɪ|n|j|oʊ}} {{respell|HAHL|ə|PAY|nyoh}},<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/jalapeno |title=JALAPEÑO |work=[[Cambridge English Dictionary]] |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |access-date=10 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/jalapeno|title=jalapeño|work=[[Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English]]|publisher=[[Longman]]|access-date=10 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/jalapeno|title=jalapeño|work=[[Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary]]|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|access-date=10 September 2019}}</ref> {{IPA|es|xalaˈpeɲo|lang|Jalapeño.ogg}}) is a medium-sized [[chili pepper]] [[Fruit|pod type]] [[cultivar]] of the species ''[[Capsicum annuum]]''.<ref name=PHP>{{cite journal|last1=Sanogo|first1=Soum|title=Chile Pepper and The Threat of Wilt Diseases|journal=Plant Health Progress|date=April 2003|volume=4|page=23|doi=10.1094/PHP-2003-0430-01-RV|url=http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/php/review/2003/chile/|access-date=4 August 2015|doi-access=free}}</ref> A mature jalapeño chili is {{convert|5|-|10|cm|abbr=on|frac=2}} long and {{convert|25|-|38|mm|abbr=on|frac=4}} wide, and hangs down from the plant. The [[pungency]] of jalapeño peppers varies, but is usually between 4,000 and 8,500 units on the [[Scoville scale]].<ref name="molecules">{{cite journal|pmid=24184818|year=2013|last1=González-Zamora|first1=A|title=Characterization of different Capsicum varieties by evaluation of their capsaicinoids content by high performance liquid chromatography, determination of pungency and effect of high temperature|journal=Molecules|volume=18|issue=11|pages=13471–86|last2=Sierra-Campos|first2=E|last3=Luna-Ortega|first3=J. G|last4=Pérez-Morales|first4=R|last5=Rodríguez Ortiz|first5=J. C|last6=García-Hernández|first6=J. L|doi=10.3390/molecules181113471|pmc=6269802|doi-access=free}}</ref> Commonly picked and consumed while still green, it is occasionally allowed to fully ripen and turn red, orange, or yellow. It is wider and generally milder than the similar [[Serrano pepper]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Zaslavsky|first1=Nancy|title=Jalapeño vs. Serrano: A Hot Debate Over Flavor|url=http://zesterdaily.com/world/jalapeno-vs-serrano-chiles-debate-over-flavor/|website=zesterdaily.com|publisher=World W/Recipe|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-date=30 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030102642/http://zesterdaily.com/world/jalapeno-vs-serrano-chiles-debate-over-flavor/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==History and etymology==
[[File:JalapenoPeppers.JPG|thumb|Five (5) jalapeño peppers]]
The jalapeño is variously named ''huachinango'', for the ripe red jalapeño, and ''chile gordo'' (meaning "fat chili pepper") also known as ''cuaresmeño''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Arvizu|first1=Alejandrina Aguirre|title=Veracruz busca la denominación de origen para el chile jalapeño|url=http://contenido.com.mx/2012/03/veracruz-busca-la-denominacion-de-origen-para-el-chile-jalapeno/|website=Contenido|access-date=20 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127015106/http://contenido.com.mx/2012/03/veracruz-busca-la-denominacion-de-origen-para-el-chile-jalapeno/|archive-date=27 January 2013}}</ref>
The name ''jalapeño'' is [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "from [[Xalapa]]", the capital city of [[Veracruz]], Mexico, where the pepper was traditionally cultivated.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tang|first1=Phillip|title=Hot and spicy in Mexico: the chili experience|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/travel-tips-and-articles/hot-and-spicy-in-mexico-the-chili-experience|website=lonelyplanet.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref>
[[Genetic analysis]] of ''Capsicum annuum'' places jalapeños as a distinct genetic [[clade]] with no close sisters that are not directly derived from jalapeños.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hill|first1=Theresa A.|last2=Ashrafi|first2=Hamid|last3=Reyes-Chin-Wo|first3=Sebastian|last4=Yao|first4=JiQiang|last5=Stoffel|first5=Kevin|last6=Truco|first6=Maria-Jose|last7=Kozik|first7=Alexander|last8=Michelmore|first8=Richard W.|last9=Van Deynze|first9=Allen|last10=Zhang|first10=Jianwei|title=Characterization of Capsicum annuum Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Based on Parallel Polymorphism Discovery with a 30K Unigene Pepper GeneChip|journal=PLOS ONE|date=8 February 2013|volume=8|issue=2|pages=e56200|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0056200|pmid=23409153|pmc=3568043|bibcode=2013PLoSO...856200H|doi-access=free}}</ref> Jalapeños were in use by the [[Aztec]]s prior to the Spanish conquest; [[Bernardino de Sahagún]] in the ''[[Florentine Codex]]'' writes of Aztec markets selling [[chipotle]]s (smoked jalapeños) and [[Mole (sauce)|mole]] made from chipotles, besides the sale of fresh chilies.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul W.|title=Chiles: A Gift from a Fiery God|journal=HortScience|date=August 1999|volume=34|issue=5|pages=809–811|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.34.5.809|doi-access=free}}</ref> The use of peppers in the Americas dates back thousands of years, including the practice of [[Smoking (cooking)|smoking]] some varieties of peppers in order to preserve them; further well preserved samples and [[genetic testing]] would be needed to determine the usage and existence of the jalapeño clade and pod type into the past.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Powis|first1=Terry G.|last2=Gallaga Murrieta|first2=Emiliano|last3=Lesure|first3=Richard|last4=Lopez Bravo|first4=Roberto|last5=Grivetti|first5=Louis|last6=Kucera|first6=Heidi|last7=Gaikwad|first7=Nilesh W.|last8=Hart|first8=John P.|title=Prehispanic Use of Chili Peppers in Chiapas, Mexico|journal=PLOS ONE|date=13 November 2013|volume=8|issue=11|pages=e79013|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0079013|pmid=24236083|pmc=3827288|bibcode=2013PLoSO...879013P|doi-access=free}}</ref>
==Cultivation==
In 1999, roughly {{convert|107000|acre|ha|order=flip}} of land in Mexico was dedicated to jalapeño production; {{as of|2011|lc=y}}, that had decreased to {{convert|101000|acre|ha|order=flip}}. Jalapeños account for thirty percent of Mexico's chili production, and while the total land area used for cultivation has decreased, there has been a 1.5% increase in volume yield per year in Mexico due to increasing irrigation, use of greenhouses, better equipment, knowledge, and improved techniques. Because of this, in 2009, 619,000 tons of jalapeños were produced with 42% of the crop coming from [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]], 12.9% from [[Sinaloa]], 6.6% from [[Jalisco]], and 6.3% from [[Michoacán]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Burton|first1=Tony|title=The cultivation of chiles in Mexico|url=http://geo-mexico.com/?p=3560|website=geo-mexico.com|date=18 April 2011|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref> [[La Costeña (food company)|La Costeña]] controls about 60% of the world market and, according to company published figures, exports 16% of the peppers that Mexico produces, an 80% share of the 20% that Mexico exports in total. The US imports 98% of La Costeña's exports.<ref>{{cite web|title=La Costeña|url=http://www.vilore.com/brands/lacostena/|website=vilore.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref>
According to the [[USDA]], since 2010 [[California]] produces the most jalapeños, followed by [[New Mexico]] and [[Texas]] - a total of {{convert|462.5|e6lb|t|order=flip|abbr=off}} of peppers in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ozores-Hampton|first1=Monica|last2=McAvoy|first2=Gene|title=Jalapeño and Other Hot Pepper Varieties for Florida|url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1241|website=ufl.edu|publisher=Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-date=24 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924192200/https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1241|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Naeve|first1=Linda|title=Bell and Chili Peppers|url=http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/vegetables/bell-and-chili-peppers/|website=agmrc.org|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref> It is difficult to get accurate statistics on chilies and specific chilies as growers are not fond of keeping and sharing such data and reporting agencies often lump all green chilies together, or all hot chilies, with no separation of pod type.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Coon|first1=Danise|last2=Bosland|first2=Paul|editor1-last=Coon|editor1-first=Chris|title=2004 World Chile Pepper Production Statistics|journal=The Chile Pepper Institute Newsletter|date=Fall 2005|volume=16|issue=3|pages=1–2|url=http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/content/files/05%20fall.pdf|access-date=5 August 2015|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305101830/http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/content/files/05%20fall.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In New Mexico in 2002 the crop of jalapeños were worth $3 million at the farm gate and $20 million after processing.<ref name=SecHyb>{{cite journal|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul W.|title=Second Generation (F2) Hybrid Cultivars for Jalapeño Production|journal=HortScience|date=2005|volume=40|issue=6|pages=1679–1681|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.40.6.1679|doi-access=free}}</ref>
[[China]], [[Peru]], [[Spain]], and [[India]] also produce commercial [[chili pepper|chilies]], including jalapeños.<ref>{{cite news|author=A-J Farm Editor|title=One hot crop: Chili peppers growing on area farmers|url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/052001/agr_052001024.shtml#.VcEEbDYw-Al|access-date=4 August 2015|work=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal|agency=WAYNE BOARD|date=20 May 2001|archive-date=5 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005201220/http://lubbockonline.com/stories/052001/agr_052001024.shtml#.VcEEbDYw-Al|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Bowl of jalapeños.jpg|thumb|Jalapeños grown in an [[Oklahoma]] garden. Red jalapeños are used to make [[sriracha sauce]].]] Jalapeños are a pod type of ''Capsicum annuum''. The growing period is 70–80 days. When mature, the plant stands {{convert|70|-|90|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} tall. Typically, a plant produces 25 to 35 pods. During a growing period, a plant will be picked multiple times. As the growing season ends, the peppers turn red, as seen in [[sriracha sauce]]. Jalapeños thrive in a number of soil types and temperatures, though they prefer warmer climates, provided they have adequate water. The optimum temperature for seed [[germination]] is {{convert|29|C|F}}, with degradation of germination seen above {{convert|30|C|F}} and little to no germination occurring at {{convert|40|C|F}}; at {{convert|29|C|F}} the time to 50% germination rate depends on cultivar and seed lot but was tested as being between 4 and 5 days, which is shorter than [[Cayenne pepper|cayenne]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Carter|first1=Anne K.|last2=Vavrina|first2=Charles S.|title=High Temperature Inhibits Germination of Jalapeño and Cayenne Pepper|journal=HortScience|volume=36|issue=4|pages=724–725|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.36.4.724|year=2001|doi-access=}}</ref> A [[pH]] of 4.5 to 7.0 is preferred for growing jalapeños, and well-drained soil is essential for healthy plants. Jalapeños need at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Lucas|title=Jalapeno Peppers|url=http://www.plantdex.com/index.php/species-growing-guides/peppers/107-jalapeno-pepper|website=plantdex.com|access-date=4 August 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929085924/http://www.plantdex.com/index.php/species-growing-guides/peppers/107-jalapeno-pepper|archive-date=29 September 2015}}</ref> Experiments show that unlike [[bell pepper]]s at least 7.5 millimolar (mM) nitrogen is needed for optimal pod production, and 15 to 22 mM nitrogen produces the best result: the plant produces both more leaves and more pods, rather than just more leaves.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Johnson|first1=Charles D.|last2=Decoteau|first2=Dennis R.|title=Nitrogen and Potassium Fertility Affects Jalapeno Pepper Plant Growth Pod Yield, and Pungency|journal=HortScience|date=December 1996|volume=31|issue=7|pages=1119–1123|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.31.7.1119|doi-access=free}}</ref> Once picked, individual peppers may turn to red of their own accord. The peppers can be eaten green or red. Though usually grown as an annual they are perennial and if protected from frost can produce during multiple years, as with all ''[[Capsicum annuum]]''.
Jalapeños are subject to [[root rot]] and foliar blight, both often caused by ''[[Phytophthora capsici]]''; over-watering worsens the condition as the fungus grows best in warm wet environments. Crop rotation can help, and resistant strains of jalapeño, such as the 'NuMex Vaquero' and '[[TAM Mild Jalapeño]]', have been and are being bred as this is of major commercial impact throughout the world.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Zitter|first1=Thomas A.|title=Phytophthora Blight of Cucurbits, Pepper, Tomato, and Eggplant|url=http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Cucurbit_Phytoph.htm|website=vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu|publisher=Cornell University|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul W.|title='NuMex Vaquero' Jalapeño|journal=HortScience|date=October 2010|volume=45|issue=10|pages=1552–1553|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.45.10.1552|doi-access=}}</ref> As jalapeños are a cultivar, the diseases are common to ''Capsicum annuum'': [[Verticillium wilt]], ''[[Cercospora capsici]]'', [[Powdery mildew]],'' [[Colletotrichum capsici]]'' (Ripe Rot), ''[[Erwinia carotovora]]'' (Soft Rot), [[Beet curly top virus]], [[Tospovirus]] (Tomato spotted wilt virus), [[Pepper mottle virus]], [[Tobacco mosaic virus]], Pepper [[Geminiviridae]], and [[Root-knot nematode]] being among the major commercially important diseases.<ref name=PHP/><ref>{{cite web|title=Diseases, Disorders & Insects|url=http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/diseases_disorders_and_insects.php|website=chilepepperinstitute.org|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-date=8 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708183722/http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/diseases_disorders_and_insects.php|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Goldberg|first1=Natalie P.|title=Chile Pepper Diseases|url=http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/circ549.html|website=aces.nmsu.edu|publisher=College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences New Mexico State University|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724205146/http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/circ549.html|archive-date=24 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After harvest, if jalapeños are stored at {{convert|7.5|C|F}} they have a shelf life of up to 3–5 weeks. Jalapeños produce 0.1–0.2&nbsp;μL per kg per hour of [[ethylene]], very low for chilies, and do not respond to ethylene treatment. Holding jalapeños at 20–25&nbsp;°C and high humidity can be used to complete the ripening of picked jalapeños. A hot water dip of {{convert|55|C}} for 4 minutes is used to kill off molds that may exist on the picked peppers without damaging them.<ref name="Postharvest">{{cite web|last1=Cantwell|first1=Marita|title=Chile Pepper: Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality|url=http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/pfvegetable/ChilePeppers/|website=postharvest.ucdavis.edu|publisher=Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-date=8 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708072200/http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/pfvegetable/ChilePeppers/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The majority of jalapeños are wet processed, canned, or pickled on harvesting for use in mixes, prepared food products, and [[Salsa (food)|salsa]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hall|first1=T.Y.|last2=Skaggs|first2=R.K.|title=New Mexico's Chile Pepper Industry: Chile Types and Product Sourcing|url=http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/CTF8/welcome.html|website=aces.nmsu.edu|publisher=College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences New Mexico State University|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref>
===Hybrids and sub-cultivars===
There are a wide variety of breeds for consumer and commercial use of jalapeño plants. The majority fall under one of four categories: [[F1 hybrid]]s, where the parent plants have been hand-emasculated and cross-bred to produce uniform offspring with [[hybrid vigor]]; cultivars which are F-11 or F-12 hybrids or later generations where a stable unique population has been developed; [[landrace]]s; and F2 hybrids.<ref name=SecHyb />
F1 hybrids produce the highest and most uniform yields but cost 25 times the cost of open-pollinated seed, leading to only 2% of the farmland dedicated to jalapeño cultivation in the United States being planted with F1 hybrids.<ref name=SecHyb /> F2 hybrids often produce similarly to F1 hybrids; however, some F1 hybrids are produced via recessive male sterility to eliminate the need to hand-pollinate, reducing the cost to produce the hybrid, but producing a 25% reduction in yield in the F2 generation.<ref name=SecHyb /> Some notable F1 hybrids are 'Mitla', 'Perfecto', 'Tula', 'Grande' (a hot jalapeño), 'Sayula', 'Senorita', and 'Torreon', most of them being developed and marketed by Petoseed, a brand of [[Seminis]].<ref name=SecHyb /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul W.|title=Pepper Cultivars|url=http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/vegcult/peppermz.html|website=NCSU|access-date=31 August 2015}}</ref>
Cultivars are researched and created to promote desirable traits. Common traits selected for are resistance to viruses and other pepper-related diseases, milder peppers, early ripening, more attractive fruit in terms of size, wall thickness, and corking, and higher yields.<ref name=TAMII /> The land-grant universities and the [[Chile Pepper Institute]] promote the use of cultivars as the most sustainable and environmentally safe disease control method both in terms of economics and long-term environmental perspective.<ref name=Vaq>{{cite journal|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul W.|title='NuMex Vaquero' Jalapeno|journal=HortScience|date=2010|volume=45|issue=10|pages=1552–1553|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.45.10.1552|doi-access=}}</ref> Notable cultivars include 'Early Jalapeño', 'TAM Mild Jalapeño',<ref name=TAMII>{{cite journal|last1=Crosby|first1=Kevin M.|last2=Villalon|first2=Benigno|title='TAM mild Jalapeno II': A New Multiple-virus-resistant, Mild Jalapeno Pepper|journal=HortScience|date=2002|volume=37|issue=6|pages=999–1000|url=http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/37/6/999.full.pdf|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.37.6.999|doi-access=free}}</ref> 'TAM Mild Jalapeño II',<ref name=TAMII /> 'TAM Veracruz', the yellow 'TAM Jaloro',<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Villalón|first1=Benigno|last2=Dainello|first2=Frank J.|last3=Bender|first3=David A.|title='Jaloro' Hot Yellow Jalapeno Pepper|journal=HortScience|date=September 1994|volume=29|issue=9|pages=1092–1093 |doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.29.9.1092|doi-access=free}}</ref>   'NuMex Vaquero',<ref name=Vaq /> the colorful 'NuMex Piñata',<ref name=Pin>{{cite journal|last1=Votava|first1=Eric J.|last2=Bosland|first2=Paul W.|title=NuMex Piñata' Jalapeño Chile|journal=HortScience|date=April 1998|volume=33|issue=2|page=350|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.33.2.0350 |url=http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/33/2/350.full.pdf+html|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref> 'TAM Dulcito',<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Crosby|first1=Kevin M.|last2=Jifon|first2=John L.|last3=Villalon|first3=Benigno|last4=Leskovar|first4=Daniel I.|title='TAM Dulcito', a New, Multiple Virus-resistant Sweet Jalapeño Pepper|journal=HortScience|date=2007|volume=42|issue=6|pages=1488–1489|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.42.6.1488|doi-access=free}}</ref> 'Waialua',<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Takeda|first1=K.Y.|last2=Tanaka|first2=J.S.|last3=Sekioka|first3=T.T.|last4=Hamilton|first4=R.A.|title='Kaala' and 'Waialua' Peppers|journal=HortScience|date=1996|volume=31|issue=6|page=1054|access-date=1 September 2015|url=http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/31/6/1054.full.pdf|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.31.6.1054|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Bill Hufnagle|Biker Billy]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pepper, Jalapeño {{!}} Biker Billy {{!}} CC GROW |url=http://www.phytotheca.com/phytotheca/pepper-jalapeno-biker-billy/ |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=www.phytotheca.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and 'NuMex Primavera'.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul W.|last2=Votava|first2=Eric J.|title='NuMex Primavera' Jalapeno|journal=HortScience|date=1998|volume=33|issue=6|pages=1085–1086|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.33.6.1085|doi-access=free}}</ref>
===Sweet hybrids===
Sweet hybridized varieties have been created with no "heat", although they retain the look and flavor of a jalapeño.<ref>[http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/vegcult/pepperal.html ''Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America : Pepper (A-L)''; Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; New Mexico State University.]</ref>
==Eating characteristics==
===Nutrients===
{{Nutritional value | name=Peppers, jalapeño, raw  | source_usda=1 | water=91.69 g | kJ=121.3 | protein=0.91 g | fat=0.37 g | carbs=6.50 g | fiber=2.8 g | sugars=4.12 g | vitC_mg=118.6 | folate_ug=27 | niacin_mg=1.28 | thiamin_mg=0.040 | riboflavin_mg=0.070 | vitK_ug=18.5 | vitE_mg=3.58 | vitA_ug=54 | vitB6_mg=0.42 | potassium_mg=248 | sodium_mg=3 | zinc_mg=0.14 | magnesium_mg=15 | calcium_mg=12 | phosphorus_mg=26 | iron_mg=0.25|opt1n=[[Capsaicin]]|opt1v = 0.01g – 6 g | note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168576/nutrients link to USDA Database entry]}}
A raw jalapeño is 92% water, 6% [[carbohydrate]]s, 1% [[protein]], and contains negligible [[fat]] (table). A {{convert|100|g|oz|frac=2|adj=on}} reference serving of raw jalapeños provides {{convert|29|kcal|kJ|order=flip}} of food energy, and is a rich source (20% or more of the [[Daily Value]], DV) of [[vitamin C]], [[vitamin B6]], and [[vitamin E]], with [[vitamin K]] in a moderate amount (table). Other [[micronutrients]] are low in content (table).
===Scoville heat units===
Compared with other chillies, the jalapeño heat level varies from mild to hot depending on cultivation and preparation and can have from a few thousand to over 10,000 [[Scoville scale|Scoville]] heat units.<ref name=molecules/> The number of scars on the pepper, which appear as small brown lines, called 'corking', has a positive correlation with heat level, as growing conditions which increase heat level also cause the pepper to form scars.<ref name=pnas>{{cite journal|last1=Tewksbury|first1=Joshua J.|last2=Reagan|first2=Karen M.|last3=Machnicki|first3=Noelle J.|last4=Carlo|first4=Tomás A.|last5=Haak|first5=David C.|last6=Calderón Peñaloza|first6=Alejandra Lorena|last7=Levey|first7=Douglas J.|title=Evolutionary ecology of pungency in wild chilies|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|date=19 August 2008|volume=105|issue=33|pages=11808–11811|doi=10.1073/pnas.0802691105|pmid=18695236|pmc=2575311|bibcode=2008PNAS..10511808T|doi-access=free}}</ref> For US consumer markets, 'corking' is considered unattractive; however, in other markets, it is a favored trait, particularly in pickled or oil-preserved jalapeños.<ref name="Postharvest" />
The heat level of jalapeños varies even for fruit from the same plant;<ref name=molecules/> however, some cultivars have been bred to be generally milder, and on the low side of the heat range, such as the 'TAM Milds'<ref name=TAMII/> and 'Dulcito', and others to be generally hotter, and on the high end of the heat range, such as 'Grande'. As the peppers ripen their pungency increases, making red jalapeños to be generally hotter than green jalapeños, at least of the same variety. If the jalapeño plants were stressed by increased water salinity, erratic watering, temperature, light, soil nutrition, insects, or illness, this will increase their pungency.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Arrowsmith|first1=Sarah|last2=Egan|first2=Todd P.|last3=Meekins|first3=J. Forrest|last4=Powers|first4=Dale|last5=Metcalfe|first5=Marcia|title=Research Article: Effects of salt stress on capsaicin content, growth, and fluorescence in a jalapeño cultivar of Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae)|journal=BIOS|date=March 2012|volume=83|issue=1|pages=1–7|doi=10.1893/0005-3155-83.1.1|s2cid=89410950}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Phimchan |first1=Paongpetch |last2=Techawongstien |first2=Suchila |last3=Chanthai |first3=Saksit |last4=Bosland |first4=Paul |date=September 2012 |title=Impact of Drought Stress on the Accumulation of Capsaicinoids in Capsicum Cultivars with Different Initial Capsaicinoid Levels |journal=HortScience |volume=47 |issue=9 |pages=1204–1209 |doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.47.9.1204 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
All of the [[capsaicin]] and related compounds are concentrated in vesicles found in the placenta membrane surrounding the seeds; the vesicles appear white or yellow and fluoresce in the range of 530 to 600&nbsp;nm when placed in violet light.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bosland|first1=Paul|last2=Coon|first2=Danise|last3=Cooke|first3=Peter H.|title=Novel Formation of Ectopic (Nonplacental) Capsaicinoid Secreting Vesicles on Fruit Walls Explains the Morphological Mechanism for Super-hot Chile Peppers|journal=Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science|date=June 2015|volume=140|issue=3|pages=253–256|doi=10.21273/JASHS.140.3.253|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=pnas/> If fresh chili peppers come in contact with the skin, eyes, lips or other membranes, irritation can occur; some people who are particularly sensitive wear latex or vinyl gloves while handling peppers.  If irritation does occur, washing the oils off with hot soapy water and applying vegetable oil to the skin may help.<ref>{{cite web|title=Handling Hot Peppers|url=http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-techniques/handling-hot-peppers/|website=BHG.com|publisher=BHG|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905182312/https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-techniques/handling-hot-peppers/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Staff|first1=Healthwise|last2=Blahd Jr., MD|first2=William H.|last3=O'Connor, MD|first3=H. Michael|title=Chili Pepper Burns|url=http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/chili-pepper-burns-topic-overview|website=WebMD.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref> When preparing jalapeños, it is recommended that hands not come in contact with the eyes as this leads to burning and redness.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wachler, MD|first1=Brian S. Boxer|title=Eye Injuries in the Kitchen|url=http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-injuries-cooking-kitchen|website=WebMD.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Staff|first1=Healthwise|last2=Husney, MD|first2=Adam|last3=Romito, MD|first3=Kathleen|title=Capsaicin|url=http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/capsaicin|website=WebMD.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Capsaicin_Natural-9923296 |title=Capsaicin Material Safety Data Sheet |publisher=sciencelab.com |access-date=5 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083820/http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Capsaicin_Natural-9923296 |archive-date=29 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Serving methods===
[[File:Jalapeño Poppers.jpg|thumb|Jalapeño peppers wrapped in crescent rolls]]
* Stuffed jalapeños are hollowed-out fresh jalapeños (served cooked or raw) filled with seafood, meat, poultry, or cheese.
* Pickled jalapeños, a type of [[pickled pepper]], sliced or whole, are often served hot or cold on top of [[nachos]], which are [[tortilla chip]]s with melted cheese on top, a [[Tex-Mex]] dish.
* [[Chipotle]]s are [[smoking (food)|smoked]] ripe jalapeños.
* Jalapeño jelly, which is a [[pepper jelly]], can be prepared using [[fruit preserves|jelling]] methods.
* Jalapeño peppers are often [[Muddler|muddled]] and served in [[mixed drinks]].
* [[Jalapeño popper]]s are an appetizer; jalapeños are stuffed with cheese, usually cheddar or cream cheese, breaded or wrapped in [[bacon]], and cooked.
* Armadillo eggs are jalapeños or similar chilis stuffed with cheese, coated in seasoned sausage meat and wrapped in bacon. The "eggs" are then grilled until the bacon starts to crisp.
* ''Chiles toreados'' are fresh jalapeños that are sauteed in oil until the skin is blistered all over. They are sometimes served with melted cheese on top.
* Texas toothpicks are jalapeños and onions shaved into straws, lightly breaded, and deep-fried.
* Chopped jalapeños are a common ingredient in many [[Salsa (sauce)|salsas]] and [[chili con carne|chilis]].
* Jalapeño slices are commonly served in Vietnamese [[pho]] and [[bánh mì]], and are also a common sandwich and pizza topping in the West.
===Culinary concerns===
Jalapeños are a low-acid food with a pH of 4.8–6.0 depending on maturity and individual pepper. If canned or pickled jalapeños appear gassy, mushy, moldy, or have a disagreeable odor, then to avoid [[botulism]], special precautions are needed to avoid illness and spread of the bacteria.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Harris|first1=Linda J.|title=Publication 8004 Pepper Safe Methods to Store, Preserve, and Enjoy|url=http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8004.pdf|website=ANR UCDavis|publisher=Agricultural and Natural Resources, University of California|access-date=5 August 2015|archive-date=2 October 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031002092113/http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8004.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Canning or packaging in calcium chloride increases the firmness of the peppers and the calcium content, whether or not the peppers are pickled as well as canned.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Saldana |first1=Guadalupe|last2=Meyer|first2=Robert|title=Effects of Added Calcium on Texture and Quality of Canned Jalapeno Peppers|journal=Journal of Food Science|date=September 1981|volume=46|issue=5|pages=1518–1520|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.1981.tb04210.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Howard|first1=L.R.|last2=Burma|first2=P.|last3=Wagner|first3=A.B. |title=Firmness and Cell Wall Characteristics of Pasteurized Jalapeño Pepper Rings Affected by Calcium Chloride and Acetic Acid|journal=Journal of Food Science|date=November 1994|volume=59|issue=6|pages=1184–1186|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.1994.tb14672.x}}</ref>
In 2008, fresh jalapeños from Mexico were tested positive for ''[[Salmonella]]'' leading the [[FDA]] to believe that the peppers were responsible for much of the [[2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak]]. This large outbreak of ''Salmonella'' led to increased research into the detection of pathogens on jalapeños, the frequency and behavior of foodborne illness related to jalapeños, and ways to prevent foodborne illnesses from fresh jalapeños.<ref name=frebeh>{{cite journal|last1=Castro-Rosas|first1=Javier|last2=Gómez-Aldapa|first2=Carlos A.|last3=Acevedo-Sandoval|first3=Otilio A.|last4=González Ramírez|first4=Cesar A.|last5=Villagomez-Ibarra|first5=J. Roberto|last6=Hernández|first6=Norberto Chavarría|last7=Villarruel-López|first7=Angélica|last8=Torres-Vitela|first8=M. del Refugio|title=Frequency and Behavior of ''Salmonella'' and ''Escherichia'' ''coli'' on Whole and Sliced Jalapeño and Serrano Peppers|journal=Journal of Food Protection|date=1 June 2011|volume=74|issue=6|pages=874–881|doi=10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-10-398|pmid=21669062|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=highwash>{{cite journal|last1=Neetoo|first1=Hudaa|last2=Chen|first2=Haiqiang|title=High pressure inactivation of Salmonella on Jalapeño and Serrano peppers destined for direct consumption or as ingredients in Mexican salsa and guacamole|journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology|date=June 2012|volume=156|issue=3|pages=197–203|doi=10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2012.03.019 |pmid=22534353}}</ref> Contaminated irrigation water and processing water are the two most common methods by which jalapeños become contaminated, as was the case in the 2008 outbreak.<ref>{{cite web|title=THE RECENT SALMONELLA OUTBREAK: LESSONS LEARNED AND CONSEQUENCES TO INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC HEALTH|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-110hhrg61557/html/CHRG-110hhrg61557.htm|website=Government Printing Office|access-date=1 September 2015}}</ref> Jalapeños have similar microbial properties to tomatoes. The outer layer of their skin provides a safe environment for pathogens to survive, and if damaged or chopped provides a growth medium for these pathogens.<ref name=frebeh /><ref name=washed>{{cite journal|last1=Pao |first1=Steven|last2=Long|first2=Wilbert|last3=Kim|first3=Chyer|last4=Rafie|first4=A. Reza|title=Population Rebound and Its Prevention on Spray Washed and Non-washed Jalapeño Peppers and Roma Tomatoes in Humid Storage|journal=Foodborne Pathogens and Disease|date=April 2012|volume=9|issue=4|pages=361–366|doi=10.1089/fpd.2011.1051|pmid=22394024}}</ref> Washing fresh jalapeños is important to reduce pathogen counts both at the farm and consumer level, but without cold storage it is insufficient to prevent pathogen spread.<ref name=highwash /><ref name=washed />
==In culture==
The jalapeño is a Mexican chili but was designated by the [[Texas Legislature]] as the official "State Pepper of Texas" in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|title=State symbols: Texas Legislature Online|url=http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Resources/StateSymbols.aspx|website=capitol.state.tx.us|publisher=Texas Legislature|access-date=4 August 2015|quote=the designation of the jalapeno as the official State Pepper of Texas will provide suitable recognition for this delicious and indispensable staple of Texas cuisine|archive-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200507/http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Resources/StateSymbols.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> In Mexico, jalapeños are used in many forms such as in salsa, pico de gallo, or grilled jalapeños. Jalapeños were included as food on the [[Space Shuttle]] as early as 1982.<ref>{{cite web|title=Space Shuttle Food-System Summary 1981 - 1986; page; 34-1|date=December 1988 |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19890005322.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=12 December 2017 |last1=Stadler |first1=Connie R. |last2=Rapp |first2=Rita M. |last3=Bourland |first3=Charles T. |last4=Fohey |first4=Michael F. }}</ref>
''[[Guinness World Records]]'' recognizes Alfredo Hernandes for the most jalapeños eaten in a minute: 16, on 17 September 2006 at the [[La Costeña (food company)|La Costeña]] Feel the Heat Challenge in Chicago, Illinois.<ref>{{cite web|title=Most jalapeno chilli peppers eaten in one minute|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-jalapeno-chilli-peppers-eaten-in-one-minute|website=guinnessworldrecords.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref> [[Patrick Bertoletti]] holds the [[Major League Eating]] jalapeño records at 275 pickled jalapeños in 8 minutes on 1 May 2011, and 191 pickled jalapeños in 6.5 minutes on 16 September 2007 in the 'Short-Form'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Records|url=http://www.majorleagueeating.com/records.php|website=majorleagueeating.com|access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref>
[[Joaquín Guzmán]], also known as "El Chapo", the leader of the [[Sinaloa Cartel]], operated a cannery in Guadalajara producing "Comadre Jalapeños" in order to ship cocaine to the US.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Keefe|first1=Patrick Radden|title=Cocaine Incorporated|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/magazine/how-a-mexican-drug-cartel-makes-its-billions.html?_r=0|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=15 June 2012|access-date=19 August 2015}}</ref>
National Jalapeño Day is September 5th in the United States.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:Jalapenos Halfway Ripe Summit NJ.jpg|Maturing jalapeño in a planter box
File:JalapenoStemPod.JPG|A jalapeño plant with pods
File:Ripe jalapeno pepper.jpg|Ripened jalapeños
File:Chilito verde.jpg|Fresh sliced jalapeños
</gallery>
==See also==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
{{portal|Food}}
* [[Capsicum]]
* [[Habanero]]
* [[List of hot sauces]]
* [[Washington's Birthday Celebration]] in [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], [[Texas]], which includes the annual Jalapeño Festival in February
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{cookbook-inline}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Jalapeño}}
* {{wiktionary-inline}}
{{Capsicum Cultivars}}
{{Herbs & spices}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jalapeno}}
[[Category:Capsicum cultivars]]
[[Category:Chili peppers]]
[[Category:Cuisine of the Southwestern United States]]
[[Category:Fruit vegetables]]
[[Category:Mexican cuisine]]
[[Category:New Mexican cuisine]]
[[Category:Spanish words and phrases]]
[[Category:Texan cuisine]]
[[Category:Symbols of Texas]]