Chili peppers are berry fruits of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. They have been a staple of Mexican cuisine for hundreds of years. The Columbian Exchange of the late-16th century—the widespread transportation of people, plants, animals, and cultural influences between the Americas, Old World, and Eastern and Western hemispheres—brought chili peppers to the world. These days, chili peppers are popular in dishes from India, many Southeast Asian, Middle-Eastern, and African countries, the Americas, Caribbean Islands, China, and South Korea.
Chili pepper farming can be an arduous task since they are rather finicky to grow and harvest. Chili peppers are highly perishable and must be closely monitored during their harvesting, transportation, and storage phases. They also have to be harvested at just the right time—lest they spoil in their nursery beds or fields.
