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Is There a Difference in Banana & Wax Peppers?

Although banana and wax peppers look similar, they do not taste alike. Both have a sweet flavor, but banana peppers are mild, while wax peppers are moderately hot, according to Scoville heat ratings. Peppers (Capsicum annuum) are grown as warm-season annual vegetables that die when the temperature drops below freezing.

  1. Description

    • Banana and wax peppers are long and narrow like a banana and measure 4 to 6 inches long and 1-½ inches wide. Both are yellow-green to pale yellow when young. Banana peppers ripen to orange or crimson red, while wax peppers mature to reddish-orange or red. The fleshy part of banana peppers is thinner than that of wax peppers. The skin of banana peppers is shiny and thin, while the skin of wax peppers has a clear waxy coating. Wax peppers are also called Hungarian wax, hot wax, hot yellow or hot banana peppers.

    Scoville Heat Ratings

    • Scoville heat ratings are measured in heat units based on the amount of capsaicin in different types of peppers. Capsaicin is the component of peppers that causes them to be mild or hot. A liquid chromatography measures the parts per million of capsaicin that peppers contain and then dilutes the samples until they are no longer hot. Scoville heat units indicate how much dilution was needed to reduce the heat of the capsaicin in the samples. The Scoville heat rating for a particular type of pepper can vary because growing conditions affect how much capsaicin peppers contain. Banana peppers are considered mild with less than 100 heat units, while wax peppers score between 5,000 and 15,000 heat units.

    Using Peppers

    • Store peppers in paper towers, paper sacks or plastic bags in the refrigerator up to one week. If wax peppers are too hot, remove the seeds and veins before using them to lessen their heat. Banana peppers are mild enough to eat raw. Add fresh or roasted banana or wax peppers to pasta, soups or stews for extra flavor. Bake, broil, saute or steam them as an accompaniment to the main dish. Both types of peppers are good for pickling to eat as hors d’oeuvres, in salads or on sandwiches. Banana and wax peppers taste sweeter when ripe than when immature.

    Caution

    • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling any type of peppers to avoid skin irritation. Juices and oils from peppers can also irritate eyes and mouth.

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