Chinese scientists invent tongue that uses milk to test spicy food

By Stephen Beech

A new artificial tongue uses milk to determine heat levels in spicy food - without anyone having to scorch their taste buds.

Chinese researchers developed the device to quickly detect spiciness as the appearance of hot sauces or peppers doesn’t reveal whether they're mild or Carolina Reaper-level fiery.

Inspired by milk’s casein proteins, which bind to capsaicin and relieve the burn of spicy foods, the research team incorporated milk powder into a gel sensor.

The prototype, described in the journal ACS Sensors , detected capsaicin and pungent-flavored compounds - such as those behind garlic’s "zing" - in a range of foods.

As a proof-of-concept, the researchers tested eight pepper types and eight spicy foods - including several hot sauces - on the artificial tong