An international research team has unraveled the genetic history and global spread of peppers, revealing the role of culinary preferences and food traditions in shaping biodiversity. The study, which analyzed over ten thousand samples from the Capsicum genus, confirmed the Andean region as the origin of wild peppers, with early domestication in South America. The research also identified new centers of genetic diversity in Eastern Europe, Africa, and South East Asia, attributing the spread of sweet and chilli peppers to specific trade routes. The findings have implications for the development of new pepper varieties and sustainable pepper production.