What is in a typical canister of pepper spray?
All bear pepper sprays have in common the following 3 components: 1) oleoresin capsicum (OC for short; the oily residue extracted from hot red peppers that naturally contains the active ingredient – capsaicin – that elicits an intense burning sensation), 2) a carrier, or base, fluid into which the oleoresin capsicum is mixed to thin and dilute it, and 3) a propellant that supplies the energy to expel the carrier and active ingredients from the can. What exactly is the oleoresin capsicum we see listed on the cans of pepper spray? A: Before proceeding, a short vocabulary lesson is in order. Capsicum is the Latin word for pepper and is the genus-level designation for all peppers used in seasonings for hotness. Hence, oleoresin (oleo = oil and resin= extract obtained from a plant) capsicum (pepper) means quite literally “pepper extract in oil”. When jalapenos (moderately hot), habaneros (fiery hot), or even bell peppers (no hotness at all) are finely ground, this pepper slurry mixed in veg
