Can horseradish cause an actual burn?

[Rachellelogram]

I really love horseradish and wasabi (which I know is generally composed of horseradish outside Japan). I love the burny feeling. But, as I was eating some wasabi peas, it got me to wondering if eating too many of them might cause a literal burn. Can horseradish burn your mucus membranes (mouth/nose), or does it just feel like burning and will always go away within 15 seconds?

[johnpost]

wasabi peas that i see have more mustard than horseradish or wasabi. all of them good.

[Nametag]

Allyl isothiocyanates, the class of compounds responsible for the pungency of wasabi, mustard, and horseradish, directly stimulate nerve receptors TRPA1 (also stimulated by menthol) and TRPV1 (also stimulated by capsaicin, the active principle in chili peppers). While there may be some inflammation and irritation, there is no physical burning.

[runner pat]

Some people apply horseradish directly to the skin for painful and swollen joints or tissues and for minor muscle aches.

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And some like horseradish with their spam.
Reported.

[Mangetout]

And some like horseradish with their spam.


Actually, I bet that would be quite good.

[jjimm]

I once ate about 500 grams of wasabi peanuts in one go, and as well as a swollen and painful tongue that subsided after a couple of hours, I couldn't taste anything for two or three days afterwards. Whatever I'd done healed up eventually but I was quite worried for a while.

[Rachellelogram]

I once ate about 500 grams of wasabi peanuts in one go, and as well as a swollen and painful tongue that subsided after a couple of hours, I couldn't taste anything for two or three days afterwards. Whatever I'd done healed up eventually but I was quite worried for a while.
That is part of what I was wondering, thanks! Even if it doesn't cause a burn, there can still be some lasting irritation. I'll take it easy on the peas :D

[jjimm]

They're so addictive though!

[Leo Bloom]

So now you can have as much as you want at your Seder.

But don't stint on the Charoses, just in case.

[Rachellelogram]

They're so addictive though!
Agreed, but even if I eat the whole bag in one day, it's only 255g :)

[Wizard One]

OK, real simple, it comes down to a few specifics, which are damning in one way or another.
First, is it PURE horseradish of any sort or was it "diluted" by local vendors, who may have substituted another "hot" substance in the "middle"?
As an example, my wife is well documented to blister on contact with oleoresin capsicum, aka, the stuff that makes peppers "hot" to the mouth.
She does NOT react to horseradish (beyond proclaiming it a lousy taste that shan't be repeated again.)
But, a mere hint of oleoresin capsicum from a "hot pepper" will cause her to blister.

THAT all said, whist well documented, the very chemistry is still not well documented, hence, your answer remains unanswered. All due to a lack of research and funding for research. :/

[pulykamell]

That is part of what I was wondering, thanks! Even if it doesn't cause a burn, there can still be some lasting irritation. I'll take it easy on the peas :D

It must vary by individual. I can eat nearly a jarful of horseradish in one sitting (and I'm talking pure grated horseradish with a bit of vinegar, not some wimpy cream sauce) and I don't suffer any ill effects.