"The Responsible Suet Alternative"
Capsaicin
Capsaicin or pepper extract is often added to wild bird foods to discourage squirrels, raccoons, and other mammal foragers from eating wild bird food. For many years naturalists, retailers, and wild bird experts have been recommending against the use of products that contain capsaicin. Their objection is based on concern that capsaicin can cause injury to birds and mammals that come into contact with it.
Searching the literature revealed that capsaicin is high in vitamins A and C, and contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3). Capsaicin stimulates digestion by increasing production of gastric secretions, facilitates respiration by breaking up congestion, and acts as an expectorant. Furthermore, it improves fat metabolism, reduces the amount of triglycerides (stored fat) in the blood cells, as well as reduces fat deposits in the liver. As far as the adverse effects of capsaicin, the acute toxicity of capsaicin as a food additive is negligible. Research has shown no adverse effects from ingestion of dosages ten times the maximum percentage in the hottest recipes. While there may be some pain or discomfort from contact with capsaicin, particularly with sensitive membranes, it is temporary. There are no lasting effects from the consumption of capsaicin which is quickly metabolized by the liver and excreted in the urine.
At Four Nature’s Keepers, we ran a series of feeding preference tests to determine the maximum percentage of capsaicin that wild birds would accept. To our amazement we discovered that birds consistently preferred the higher percentage up to and beyond the maximum percentage acceptable on a cost basis. Based on all of our research and field testing, we concluded that capsaicin was safe and birds show a marked preference for foods that contain it. As for the capacity to discourage mammals from consuming foods that contain it, it is only partially affective. Scientists speculate that birds have fewer nerves in their mouths than mammals and therefore experience less of the “hot” sensation. Mammals on the other hand experience the “heat” in much greater measure, hence the belief that capsaicin will discourage mammals from consuming foods that contain it. The reality is that a mammal’s inclination to avoid or consume foods containing capsaicin is directly proportional to their degree of hunger. Experiencing the “heat” is in the end preferable to starvation.
We decided to add capsaicin to all of our products.