Here are the key points about why jalapeño peppers are less spicy than ever: 1. Jalapeño peppers are deliberately being bred to be bigger, shinier, prettier -

Here are the key points about why jalapeño peppers are less spicy than ever: 1. Jalapeño peppers are deliberately being bred to be bigger, shinier, prettier - but less spicy and less flavorful. This is driven by demand from the processed food industry for consistency. 2. About 60% of jalapeños go to processing plants for things like canned peppers, salsas, sauces, etc. These companies want predictable, mild heat levels so they can accurately label products as "mild," "medium," "hot." 3. In the last 20 years, a very popular jalapeño variety called TAM II has taken over much of the market. It was specifically bred to be huge, shiny, and very mild - less than 10% as spicy as traditional jalapeños. 4. The invention and popularity of TAM jalapeños is making the overall jalapeño gene pool larger but milder. Hotter, more flavorful varieties are losing ground. 5. There are still hotter jalapeño varieties like Mitla and Early jalapeños, but many restaurants and home cooks don't know to ask for specific pepper breeds. 6. Some experts draw comparisons to the tomato industry - mass-produced tomatoes lost flavor, but heirlooms are bringing it back. Perhaps hotter heirloom pepper varieties could also regain popularity.