[5] Crushed red pepper is frequently found in a variety of dishes including Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Southeast Asian, Caribbean, and Italian.

[5] Red chili peppers, which are a part of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, were first found in Central and South America and have been harvested for use since about 7,500 BCE.

[4] Once brought back to Europe, the red peppers were traded in Asian countries and were enjoyed primarily by Indian cooks.

[5] The name of the village—or a derivative of it—is now used as a name for crushed red pepper in general in many Southeast European languages: буковска пипер/буковец, bukovska piper/bukovec (Macedonian), bukovka (Serbo-Croatian and Slovene) and μπούκοβο, boukovo, búkovo (Greek).

[5] Capsaicin is believed to help kill off prostate cancer cells, to serve as an appetite suppressant which can contribute to weight loss, to improve digestion,[8][medical citation needed] and to help prevent diabetes and constipation.