. ▁In ▁more ▁recent ▁times , ▁an ▁a eros ol ▁extract ▁of ▁cap sa ic in , ▁usually ▁known ▁as ▁caps icum ▁or ▁pe pper ▁sp ray , ▁has ▁become ▁used ▁by ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁as ▁a ▁non le th al ▁means ▁of ▁in cap ac it ating ▁a ▁person , ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁more ▁widely ▁dispers ed ▁form ▁for ▁ri ot ▁control , ▁or ▁by ▁individuals ▁for ▁personal ▁defense . ▁ ▁Pe pper ▁in ▁veget able ▁o ils , ▁or ▁as ▁an ▁h ort icult ural ▁product ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁garden ing ▁as ▁a ▁natural ▁insect ic ide . ▁ ▁Although ▁black ▁pe pper ▁causes ▁a ▁similar ▁burning ▁sens ation , ▁it ▁is ▁caused ▁by ▁a ▁different ▁subst ance — pi per ine . ▁ ▁C uis ine ▁ ▁C aps icum ▁f ruits ▁and ▁pe ppers ▁can ▁be ▁e aten ▁raw ▁or ▁cook ed . ▁Those ▁used ▁in ▁cook ing ▁are ▁generally ▁vari eties ▁of ▁the ▁C . ▁ann u um ▁and ▁C . ▁fr utes c ens ▁species , ▁though ▁a ▁few ▁others ▁are ▁used , ▁as ▁well . ▁They ▁are ▁suitable ▁for ▁stuff ing ▁with ▁fill ings ▁such ▁as ▁che ese , ▁meat , ▁or ▁rice . ▁ ▁They ▁are ▁also ▁frequently ▁used ▁both ▁cho pped ▁and ▁raw ▁in ▁sal ads , ▁or ▁cook ed ▁in ▁stir - f ries ▁or ▁other ▁mixed ▁d ishes . ▁They ▁can ▁be ▁s lic ed ▁into ▁stri ps ▁and ▁f ried , ▁ro asted ▁whole ▁or ▁in ▁pieces , ▁or ▁cho