A rapid, simple, safe, and inexpensive technique for extraction and quantitation of capsaicinoids from peppers is presented. Homogenized pepper tissue was extracted with acetone, and the extract was analyzed via capillary gas chromatography/thermoionic selective detection without need of capsaicinoid derivatization. Six of the eight capsaicinoids were positively identified in pepper extracts using gas chromatography/mass selective detection. Isomers for five of the six capsaicinoids were detected. Different varieties of peppers were analyzed for capsaicinoids, and the capsaicinoid concentrations as well as the corresponding Scoville heat values for the peppers are presented. Keywords: Peppers; capsaicinoids; chemical analysis