Capsaicin, also known as capsanthin, is a tetraterpene orange-red pigment existing in mature pepper fruits, belonging to carotenoid pigments. Among them, the red components with higher polarity are capsanthin and capsanthin, accounting for 50%~60% of the total, and the other is a yellow component with lower polarity, which is mainly composed of carotene and zeaxanthin, has the activity of vitamin A, and also contains a certain amount of non-pigment capsaicin.

Because pepper has good red oil, good emulsion dispersibility, heat resistance and acid resistance, it has good coloring ability when applied to meat foods treated at high temperature, such as canned Chili sauce and spicy chicken.