SEM images of cross section of Bhut Jalokia (Ghost Chili) fruit and leaf

[Reakt20]

These are images from a study I'm doing at school on the Bhut Jalokia plant aka the ghost chili, the hottest pepper in the world. The sample was freeze fractured and then freeze dried in a cryo vacuum. Fractured cross sections of the leaf, the fruit (pepper), and a flower were then mounted to a stub using a carbon paint and sputter coated with gold and platinum. Images were obtained using a Hitachi S-4100 Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope. Notice the capsaicin crystals. They just look like they hurt to eat!

















Thanks for looking!