The Pulse
July 15, 2026

An Edmonton-based couple who came up with a way to make spicy food less painful to eat without sacrificing the flavour will get a chance to further develop their innovation.

Sahil and Khushpreet Kapoor came up with D-Spice, a powder that aims to mitigate the burn factor and digestive consequences of spicy food without altering its flavour.

"Many people, like myself, enjoy spicy food, but are forced to avoid, modify, or stop eating it because the burn can be very overwhelming sometimes," Sahil said. "Even if the burn is not overwhelming, the aftermath can be worse."

The Kapoors have been accepted into the fall cohort of the Technology Readiness Level-Up Program from Labs4, a federally funded program to commercialize research. They will work with a food scientist at NAIT's Centre for Culinary Innovation, which has helped other entrepreneurs bring new products to market.

The product is rooted in Sahil's own experience. "I was at a social gathering, and I'm already vegetarian, so there was limited stuff for me," he told Taproot. "The food that I got was super spicy, but I was too embarrassed to say, 'This is spicy, I can't eat it.' I already had limited options; I was being picky, so I didn't want to sound extra picky. Then, I realized that I have been in these situations a lot."

He observed family members going through the same thing, which he described as a form of "meal exclusion." So he and his wife invented D-Spice, a substance that mitigates the burning sensation caused by a chemical reaction involving capsaicin. Diners add it to their food to cool the burn while enjoying the same flavour as those who have greater spice tolerance.

The Kapoors built one prototype of D-Spice in India, where the ingredients they wanted to use are plentiful, and they are taking steps to build a 2.0 version. Sahil would not say what the formula is — in part because it isn't finished — but shared that one component is calcium lactate, which he said helps reduce bowel irritation and diarrhea.

The final formula will determine whether D-Spice is considered a conventional packaged food or a natural health product under the law, though Sahil said it's most likely going to be the latter. This would exempt D-Spice from the jurisdiction of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, leaving the Kapoors to deal only with Health Canada.

• A vehicle crashed into an apartment building in north Edmonton on Monday night and ruptured a gas line, sparking an explosion and fatal fire. An 85-year-old resident died after jumping from a balcony to escape, the Edmonton Police Service confirmed, adding that two residents remain unaccounted for in the structurally unstable building. Six other residents were taken to hospital, and around 1,800 nearby residents lost gas service due to damage.
• The City of Edmonton confirmed two new cases of Dutch elm disease, one each in the Northmount and Rossdale neighbourhoods, which brings the total to nine since it was first detected in 2024. Both trees were on public property and have been removed, and the surveillance zone around affected areas has been expanded to a one-kilometre radius.
• Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm and tornado watch for Edmonton and parts of central Alberta on July 14, warning of possible strong winds, large hail, and tornadoes, days after a powerful weekend storm caused flooding and property damage across the city.
• Residents on a Laurier Heights cul-de-sac are taking the City of Edmonton to the Alberta Court of Appeal over a nearly 30-bedroom infill development, arguing they missed the appeal deadline because signage about the project was not prominent enough. The case is set for late October, and is prompting broader questions about how the City notifies residents of new development permits.
• Alberta police are dealing with a growing number of 3D-printed "ghost guns," with Edmonton's firearms laboratory going from two case files involving the untraceable weapons in 2020 to an average of three or four files per month in 2026. According to the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams, police agencies across Alberta seized 374 3D-printed guns over the past five years, Postmedia reported.
• Smoke was visible across the city after two homes caught fire near Cameron Ravine Way and Cameron Ravine Drive in southwest Edmonton on July 14. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services dispatched five units, and a second alarm was called when the blaze spread to an adjacent home. No injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Community Coffee: Capital Connect starting at 9am at Edmonton Unlimited
• Theatre in the Park starting at 11am at Glenora Park
• Art Buffet starting at 12pm at Mitchell Art Gallery
• Theatre in the Park starting at 2:30pm at McQueen Park
• Southwest Edmonton Farmers' Market starting at 3:30pm at Booster Juice Recreation Centre in Terwillegar
• Cue the Queers – An Open Mic starting at 7pm at Fringe Theatre Arts Barns
• Garden Concert: Beppie starting at 7pm at Anglican Parish of Christ Church
• Cocktails at Pam's starting at 7:30pm at Varscona Theatre
• Clue starting at 7:30pm at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
• 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee starting at 7:30pm at Citadel Theatre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• July 24: Friday Nights at the Grand Night Market at Westmount Shopping Centre
• July 25: Music on Stony Plain Road at Jay & Suzie's NOFRILLS
• Aug. 1-3: Edmonton Heritage Festival at William Hawrelak Park

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.

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