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Food properties
The fruit of Capsicum pubescens are a versatile food of the south american cuisine. The flesh is thicker than that of other chilis and is closer to the consistency of bell peppers. Additionally, the fruit can reach the sizes of bell peppers. However, the level of spice is comparable to other common known chilis. 50'000 to 250'000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) on the Scoville scale have been recorded.

Fresh uses
The seeds and the white membranes, which contain most of the spice, are cut out. It is advised to wear gloves when handling Capsicum pubescens. To reduce the spiciness the fruit can be boiled.

Rocoto relleno is a popular dish in Arequipa, a city in the Andes of Peru. The hollowed out and boiled rocotos are filled up with a mixture of ground beef, onions, garlic and spices. It is topped off with a piece of cheese and baked in the oven.

The fruit of the Capsicum pubescens are also used as additions to other meals. Chili paste is made by mixing the chilis with oil. Chili cream is made by mixing rocoto chili with fresh cheese. Aji de Huacatay is a green sauce which contains green rocoto chilis and is served typically with potatoes. Additionally, rocoto are used for fresh salsas.

Processed uses
Drying rocotos is a possible way of conservation. Due to the thick flesh and the high moisture content drying just with sunlight is not as effective as with other species of Capsicum. To tackle this problem, a project in Peru has worked with a drying tunnel invented by the University of Hohenheim. The drying tunnel has a closed ventilation system powered by solar energy. This allows for a better temperature regulation and decreases risk of contamination compared to drying in the open. In this closed drying tunnel 80 kilogram of fresh rocoto result in 6.4 kilogram of dried rocoto.

Hot Sauce is another way of conservation. They are a common product in online hot sauce selling websites. Tabasco sauce had a limited edition of Tabasco Rocoto Pepper Sauce in 2019.