Why does mustard tend to irritate your nose, while other spicy food(s) don’t seem to be doing that so much?

Question

Why does mustard tend to irritate your nose, while other spicy food(s) don’t seem to be doing that so much?

In: 219

Answer 1

Mustard (along with wasabi, horseradish, and so on) contains the ingredients for Allyl isothiocyanate. As you eat it, those ingredients become mixed. The resulting isothiocyanate is mixed with your saliva and, as you breathe, it goes into your your nasal cavity, causing some small irritation.