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We sell the stuff cops carry - I know this because I am one. Fox Labs and DPS are top quality sprays. Percentage doesn't really matter. The quality of the peppers in the spray, the mixture of the sollution and the chemicals in the carrier are what you want to look at. You can measure this with capsacionoid content and Scoille Heat Units.
How OC Spray is made:
Before OC can be distributed to the various buyers, it must first be processed through three different levels and meet specific criteria. The manufacturer must decide if they want oil or water based formula and the desired level of pungency. They must also ensure that the capsaicin remains evenly dispersed throughout their final product. How the three levels of oil and water based OC are created are:
Level 1-
Peppers are gathered and harvested from around the world. They will vary in pungency dependent on the type and quality. It is not the quantity of the peppers, but rather the quality of the peppers that matter. The peppers are then dried and micro-pulverized. After the peppers are pulverized the capsaicinoids must be extracted. Oleoresin Capsicum is derived by adding solvents to peppers in order to remove the natural oils, fats, and waxes where the Capsaicinoids are found. This mixture of peppers and solvents is called Miscella. Once the process is completed, the solvents are removed by distillation or evaporation, and the thick, oily substance which remains is the Oleoresin Capsicum in its purest state. The capsaicinoids exist within the oily mixture. This OC is extremely pungent and must be diluted in order to be used commercially. Besides pepper spray, some common products that are produced are hot sauces, analgesic creams and rubs.
NOTE: This compound is so intense that it will literally cause 2nd degree burns to exposed skin.
Level 2 –
Once the first level has been completed, the manufacturer must decide what type of level three OC formulation they desire; oil or water based.
Level 2 oil based OC- The level 1 OC is diluted with other oils to meet the desired level of pungency in it’s level 2 formulation. Common oils used are mineral oil, vegetable oil, or soy oil. Once the level 2 is produced it will contain 4.0% capsaicinoids, which equates to 1,000,000 Scoville Heat Units.
Level 2 water based OC- The level 1 OC is diluted by adding distilled water and an emulsifier to meet the desired level of pungency in it’s level 2 formulation. Water based OC was developed so water could be used as the primary carrier, replacing hazardous industrial solvents and ensuring that the product is nonflammable. To ensure water solubility, the refinement process removes sufficient fats, oils, and waxes. The capsaicinoid content is reduced and consequently the pungency is lowered. Water based OC does not require high concentrations of solvents to ensure capsaicinoid dispersion within the OC formulation. Water based OC is nonflammable due to high levels of water and low levels of solvents. Once the level 2 is produced it will contain a 2.0% capsaicinoid content, which equates to 500,000 Scoville Heat Units.
Level 3-
Criteria - Prior to the commercial use of OC it is necessary for the OC manufacturer to dilute the level 2 OC product at a specific pungency level as specified by the commercial manufacturer. The manufacturer must ensure that the capsaicin remains evenly dispersed throughout the formulation.
Level 3 oil based - By the very nature of their oily characteristic, oil based solutions must be mixed with strong industrial solvents to ensure even suspension of the capsaicin. It will require approximately 19 parts of solvent to 1 part of Level 2 OC (19:1) The one part of OC solution represents 5.0% of the total formulation and therefore it is typically referred to as 5.0% pepper spray.
Level 3 water based OC – The water based level 3 formula is created by adding more water. Small quantities of solvents and emulsifiers are used to ensure even dispersion of the capsaicin. It will require approximately nine parts of this carrier (water, emulsifier, and solvent) to be added to each 1 part of Level 2 OC (9:1) to ensure the even dispersion of capsaicin. The one part of OC solution represents 10.0% of the total formulation and therefore it is typically referred to as 10.0% pepper spray.
Important Factor to remember - The percentage of Oleoresin Capsicum is a measurement of the amount of OC contained in a given solution. While this seems easy enough, it is probably the most misleading. This is due to the wide interpretation of OC. More specifically, the composition and pungency of OC vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. As mentioned above, OC is produced in various grades of qualities and extraction processes. For example, higher quality peppers yield a hotter product, while lower quality peppers are not as hot. In addition to this variance, once the OC is obtained in the extraction process, it is considered a raw product and labeled as Oleoresin Capsicum. At that point, the manufacturer adds various other products to it. This is done for a variety of reasons, to reduce the hotness or to make it a water-soluble product. However, each end product is considered OC, but can be very different solutions. Therefore, it is possible for a lower concentration solution of OC to be more pungent than a high OC concentration solution, depending on the quality of peppers used, For this reason, % OC is not a reliable indicator of product pungency or intensity.