Sriracha Chili Sauce Science Explained in New Video

Sriracha chili sauce has gone from a condiment found on tables of Vietnamese cafes, to a venerable institution in and of itself, making appearances across a galaxy of cuisines, its iconic rooster symbol gets printed on t-shirts, the spicy red sauce has even spawned a line of cookbooks.

Now, the science behind what makes people love Sriracha gets broken down in a new video published by the American Chemical Society, an organization devoted to promoting chemistry education.

The video breaks down the effect each of Sriracha's ingredients - and there are only a handful: chilies, salt, sugar, garlic and vinegar - come together to make a superlative condiment that keeps people coming back for more.

Wilbur Scoville, the pharmacist who created the unit of measuring a pepper's punch known as the Scoville Heat Unit makes an appearance, but the video goes on to report that Scoville units are considered too subjective to use in scientific analysis, and a new form of spice measurement using the more cumbersomely named American Spice Trade Association Pungency Units is more reliable.

Sriracha's red chillies contain molecules called capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, which trigger a protein receptor in our mouths called TPRV1. You get the mouth-burning sensation when you have a mouthful of Sriracha because the TPRV1 receptors are firing off.

To acclimate, your body reacts by releasing endorphins to eliminate the pain, serving a similar function as the "runners high" people feel during a long run.