From fiery hot sauces to scorching-hot Indian curries, there's no shortage of spicy dishes out there that pack a serious punch. But just how spicy are they? That's where the Scoville Scale comes in. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this chili pepper-measuring system.
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What is the Scoville Scale?
The Scoville Scale is a measurement system that rates the heat level of chili peppers and other spicy foods. The scale is named after its inventor, Wilbur Scoville, who developed it in 1912, and it is still in use today.
Peppers are ranked on the scale according to their capsaicin content, which is the compound that makes peppers hot. The scale ranges from 0 (no capsaicin) to 16 million (pure capsaicin).
The vast majority of peppers fall between 100-500 Scoville Units. Some of the most popular peppers, such as jalapeños and serranos, fall between 2,500-25,000 units. For comparison, Tabasco sauce measures about 30,000-50,000 units on the Scoville heat scale.
The world's hottest chili pepper can measure over 2 million units. These peppers are so hot that they are usually used as a food additive rather than being eaten whole.
⭐ If you are looking to try the world's hottest chili and want to add some to your cooking, we recommend giving this a go:
How Does the Scoville Scale Work?
The pungency (spiciness or "heat") of chili peppers is measured on the Scoville Scale and is expressed in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The scale is named after the American pharmacist who created it, Wilbur Scoville. The Scoville organoleptic test is the name of his technique, which he developed in 1912.
1. Scoville Organoleptic Test
This is the first laboratory test used to measure the heat in chile peppers. To gauge the level of heat, human test volunteers taste a variety of prepared chile samples.
The samples are diluted in the lab to the point that tasters are unable to sense heat. The Scoville Heat Unit represents one unit of dilution.
This approach is refined and systematic, providing an accurate measure of a pepper's heat. As chili peppers have become increasingly popular in recent years, the Scoville Organoleptic Test has become an important tool for understanding the heat levels of different varieties.
The Scoville Organoleptic Test is a more accurate and less expensive procedure than the "bite the chile" taste test, but it has its limitations, as the hot pepper test may vary from person to person depending on the taster's palate.
2. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
The HPLC is the most accurate method for measuring heat in chile peppers. This procedure involves drying and grinding the fruit, and then extracting the chemicals responsible for heat.
The extract is injected into the HPLC for analysis, and this method allows the amounts of the individual capsaicinoids to be determined. In addition, many samples may be analyzed within a short period of time using HPLC.
What are some of the Hottest Chili Peppers on the Scoville Scale?
Here are some of the hot chili peppers on the scale, measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU):
- Carolina Reaper: 2,200,000 SHU
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion: 2,009,231 SHU
- Naga Viper: 1,359,000 SHU
- Bhut Jolokia or Ghost Pepper: 1,041,427 SHU
- Red Savina Habanero: 577,000 SHU
What are some of the Mildest Chili Peppers on the Scoville Scale?
Here are some of the mildest peppers on the scale, measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU):
- Bell Pepper: 0 SHU
- Banana Pepper : 500 SHU
- Poblano Pepper: 1,500 SHU
- Anaheim Pepper: 2,500 SHU
- Jalapeño Pepper: 8,000 SHU
List of Peppers
There are many different types of peppers, some with more heat than others. The table below shows a list of peppers with their corresponding Scoville Heat Units (SHU) and origin. The peppers are listed in descending order of chili pepper heat.
| Peppers | SHU Range | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Reaper | 1,500,000 - 2,200,000 | USA |
| Trinidad Moruga Scorpion | 1,500,000 - 2,009,231 | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Naga Viper | 600,000 - 1,382,118 | England |
| Ghost Pepper | 600,000 - 1,041,427 | India |
| Red Savina Habanero | 600,000 - 1,041,427 | Amazon |
| Habanero Chocolate | 300,000 - 500,000 | Jamaica |
| Adjuma Pepper | 100,000 - 500,000 | Brazil |
| Habanero Orange | 100,000 - 350,000 | Mexico |
| Scotch Bonnet | 150,000 - 325,000 | Jamaica |
| Bahamian Goat Pepper | 100,000 - 300,000 | Bahamas |
| Thai Chili | 50,000 to 100,000 | Mexico |
| Tien Tsin | 45,000 - 75,000 | China |
| Cayenne Pepper | 30,000 - 50,000 | French Guiana |
| Tabasco Pepper | 30,000 - 50,000 | Mexico |
| Serrano Pepper | 10,000 - 25,000 | Mexico |
| Jalapeño Pepper | 2,500 to 8,000 | Mexico |
| Anaheim Pepper | 500 to 2,500 | New Mexico |
| Bell Pepper | 0 | Mexico |
People Also Ask [FAQs]
Yes, the Scoville scale is accurate. This is because the amount of capsaicin present in a chili pepper can be measured using an accurate scientific process (high-performance liquid chromatography).
Gregory Foster became the fastest person to eat three Carolina Reaper chilies, which are considered the world's hottest pepper, in a matter of 8.72 seconds.
Hot Pepper Chart
Wrap Up: The Scoville Scale
- The Scoville scale is a measure of the spiciness or heat of chili peppers.
- It was developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912.
- The scale goes from 0 to 16 million units, with pure capsaicin (the compound that makes chili peppers spicy) scoring 16 million points.
- Some common chili peppers and their scores on the Scoville scale include bell peppers (0), jalapeños (2,500-8,000), habaneros (100,000-350,000), and bhut jolokia or ghost peppers (1 million+).
- We also explored a list of the most common mildest and hottest peppers in the world.
- The hottest chile pepper in the world is the Carolina Reaper, which scores 2.2 million on the Scoville scale. For comparison, that's about 300-500 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper.
- As you can see, these peppers range in heat from moderate to extremely hot. If you're looking for a challenge, try working your way up the Scoville Scale!
So there you have it: everything you need to know about the Scoville Scale! Whether you're a chili pepper aficionado or just someone who likes their food or hot sauce with a little bit of heat, we hope this guide has been helpful.
Recipe
Scoville Scale
Ingredients
Super Hot Peppers, SHU Range (1M - 16M)
- 1 Pure Capsaicin 16,000,000
- 1 Carolina Reaper 1,500,000 – 2,200,000
- 1 Trinidad Moruga Scorpion 1,500,000 – 2,009,231
- 1 Naga Viper 600,000 – 1,382,118
- 1 Ghost Pepper 600,000 – 1,041,427
- 1 Red Savina Habanero 600,000 – 1,041,427
Extremely Hot Peppers, SHU Range (50k - 500k)
- 1 Habanero Chocolate 300,000 – 500,000
- 1 Adjuma Pepper 100,000 – 500,000
- 1 Habanero Orange 100,000 – 350,000
- 1 Scotch Bonnet Red 150,000 – 325,000
- 1 Bahamian Goat Pepper 100,000 – 300,000
- 1 Thai chili 50,000 – 100,000
- 1 Tien Tsin 45,000 – 75,000
Hot Peppers, SHU Range (10k - 50k)
Mild Peppers, SHU Range (0 - 10k)
- 1 Jalapeño 2,500 – 8,000
- 1 Anaheim Pepper 500 – 2,500
- 1 Bell Pepper
Ewa
I love seeing where the chiles come from. I will have to start from the bottom and work my way up!
Elle
Thank you, Ewa! That would be a good challenge!
John M.
My son brought me a pack of Carolina reaper from his holiday with his elder brother. I will have to try it with caution. Thank you for the warning!
Elle
Definitely, John, with caution! Thank you for your comment!