Bought for colour, not for heat
Kashmiri chilli is the one buyers reach for when a dish has to look red without becoming hot. That makes ASTA colour value the headline number rather than pungency, and it is the figure a food manufacturer will hold you to, because colour is what their own customer sees.
Heat still gets specified, usually as a ceiling rather than a floor. Tell us the colour value you need and the heat you must stay under, and we will tell you whether we can hold to both before you order.
Specification
This is a made-to-order line, so the grade is agreed against your purchase order rather than fixed here. Every parameter below is measured and reported on the NABL-accredited Certificate of Analysis that ships with the lot.
| Parameter | Basis |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | Confirmed on the purchase order |
| Grade | Agreed against your specification |
| ASTA colour value | Measured and reported on the NABL CoA |
| Capsaicin / heat | Measured and reported on the NABL CoA |
| Moisture | Measured and reported on the NABL CoA |
| Stalk and broken percentage | Measured and reported on the NABL CoA |
| Aflatoxin | Reported against Reg. (EU) 2023/915 |
| Ethylene oxide | Not detected |
Forms and packaging
- Whole dried pods — stalk tolerance specified by you.
- Stemless — on request.
- Powder — on request; grind size specified by you.
- Packing — agreed on the PO.
Commercial terms
Made to order against a confirmed purchase order, so lead times are longer than our stocked lines. Price and minimum order quantity are quoted per contract on an FOB or CIF basis — there are too many variables in origin, grade, packing and freight for a list price to mean anything. Ask and we will put a number and a date against your specification.
Compliance
Every lot ships with a NABL-accredited Certificate of Analysis, a Spices Board Certificate of Origin and a Phytosanitary Certificate. Ethylene oxide is not used at any stage; residues are reported against the EU sum limit of 0.1 mg/kg for ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol under Reg. (EC) 396/2005, and against the US tolerance of 7 ppm under 40 CFR 180.151. Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A are reported against the maximum levels in Reg. (EU) 2023/915.
Common questions
What ASTA colour value can you supply?
It moves with the crop, so we agree it on the purchase order rather than publishing a figure we might not hold to every season. Give us your minimum and we will answer straight.
Has anything changed for Indian chilli at the EU border?
Yes, and in your favour. The EU amended its import-control rules for Indian spices in June 2026. We have written up exactly what moved and what did not on our EU spice import rules 2026 page rather than summarising it loosely here.
Do you supply powder?
Yes, on request, with grind size specified by you. Colour degrades faster in powder than in whole pods, so we agree packing and shelf life on the same order.