Tree shrews can tolerate hot peppers: Mutation in pain receptor makes peppery plant palatable
Saturday, July 14, 2018 - 15:30
in Biology & Nature
Almost all mammals avoid eating chili peppers and other 'hot' foods, because of the pain they induce. But not the tree shrew, according to a new study. The researchers found that this close relative of primates is unaffected by the active ingredient in chili peppers due to a subtle mutation in the receptor that detects it.