The Scoville scale

Portretfoto van wilbur scovilleBelow or on the left you can see the Scoville scale. This scale was developed in 1912 by Wilbur Scoville to measure the pungency of chilli peppers. Originally, the heat rating of pepper extracts was measured by dilution with water. The degree of dilution, until there was no 'heat' observed anymore, gives its measure on the Scoville scale in Scoville Units or SHU. Jalapeno extract has to be diluted up to 8000 times to be not detected anymore (see scale). A drop of extract of the hottest pepper in the world Carolina Reaper) more than two million times! A meal is generally considered as ‘hot’ with a rating of 500-1000 SHU. Pepper spray used by the police has a rating of 5.300.000 SHU.

Capsaicin is the active ingredient that gives peppers their pungency. The number of SHU is related to the amount of capsaicin. Today, the pungency is determined by measuring the amount of capsaicin, using chromatography. Pure capsaicin has a rating of 15-16000000 SHU. The chemical is very stable, hardly evaporates and almost doesn’t decompose by cooking.

Chemical structure Capsaicin:

Chemische structuur Capsaïcine uitgetekend

In chilli peppers five closely related chemical components are present with similar effects. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaïcine are the most important of them.

When capsaicin is present in the mouth, nerves are giving a similar signal to the brains when burning your mouth eating food above 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit). The body responds by releasing endorphin. Endorphin is also called the happiness hormone, it gives you a nice feeling and eases the pain. You can get used to capsaicin, and thus to ‘hot’ food as well. Eventually you must eat ‘hotter’ to experience the effects of capsaicin. For many people, hot meals are a pleasant addiction. Birds are not sensitive to capsaicin and are therefore the main dispersers of the seeds.

If you've eaten too hot, a glass of milk is a better choice than a glass of water. Capsaicin is insoluble in water and much better in fat. An alcoholic drink will also help extinguishing the ‘fire’ better.

NameSHU
Banana Supreme 0
Gypsy F1 0
Jimmy Nardello 0
Carliston 0
Jalapeno Fooled You 0
Aconcagua 0
Sweet Pickle 0
Bounty F1 0
Jalapeno Felicity 0
Habanada 0
Corbaci 0
Red Rocket 100
Shishito 200
Trinidad Perfume 500
Habanero Tobago Seasoning 500
Nora 500
Holy Mole 700
Santa Fe Grande 750
Numex Suave Red 850
Numex Suave Orange 850
NuMex Joe E. Parker 1000
Golden Greek Pepperoncini 1000
Beaver Dam 1000
Aji Dulce 1000
Pepperoncini 1000
Mexibell Improved 1000
Fajita 1000
Jalapeno Sweet 1000
Biquinho Red 1000
Biquinho Yellow 1000
Elephant 1000
Malawi Peppadew 1200
Ohnivec 1200
Romanian Hot 1400
Ancho Grande 1500
Mulato Isleno 1500
Georgia Flame 1500
Mosquetero 1500
Pasilla Bajio 2000
Goat Horn 2000
Costeno Amarillo 2000
Chilhuacle Negro 2000
Guindilla Amarilla 2000
Anaheim 2500
Numex Big Jim 2500
Poinsettia 2500
Jalapeno Emerald Fire 2500
Cascabel 2500
Guajillo 3000
Jalapeno TAM 3500
Garden Salsa 3500
Cascabella 4000
Espelette 4000
Large Red Cherry 5000
Cyklon 5000
Pimientos de Padrón 5000
Caloro 5000
Ubatuba Cambuci 5000
Numex Centennial 5000
Nosegay 5000
Cherry Bomb 5000
Jalapeno Mammoth 5000
Jalapeno La Bomba 5000
Aji Rico 5000
Cherry Bomb Pink 5000
Demre 5000
Serrano del Sol 5500
Jalapeno El Jefe 6000
Numex Sandia 7000
Jalapeno Purple 8000
Jalapeno 8000
Fresno 8000
Jalapeno Early 8000
Jalapeno Jaloro 8000
Jalapeno Orange F1 8000
Jalapeno Mucho Nacho 8000
Jalapeno Jalafuego 8000
Jalapeno Brown 8000
Jalapeno Numex Lemon Spice 8000
Jalapeno Orange Spice 8000
Jalapeno Pumpkin Spice 8000
Purple Tiger 9000
Hungarian Hot Wax 10000
Black Hungarian 10000
Kung Pao 10000
Jalapeno Billy Biker 10000
Aji Habanero 10000
Vampire 14000
Dedo de Moca 15000
Machu Pichu 15000
Joe's Long Cayenne 20000
Piccante a Mazzetti 20000
Serrano 22000
Serrano Purple 22000
Bishop's Crown 30000
Bulgarian Carrot 30000
Penis Pepper Orange 30000
Fish Pepper 30000
Bolivian Rainbow 30000
Chile de Arbol 30000
Hot Portugal 30000
Orozco 30000
Onza 30000
Royal Black 30000
Little Elf 30000
Penis Pepper Yellow 30000
Holiday Cheer 30000
Penis Pepper Red 30000
Zimbabwe Black 30000
Bode Red 30000
Bode Yellow 30000
Hinkelhatz 30000
Thai Hot Culinary 40000
Thai Compact 40000
Aji Fantasy 40000
Rawit Orange 40000
Lemon Drop 50000
Cayenne Long Slim 50000
Satans Kiss 50000
Cayenne Golden 50000
Jalapeno Numex Pinata 50000
Aji Amarillo 50000
Rocoto Red 50000
Rocoto Orange 50000
Aji Rojo 50000
Cayenne Purple 50000
Cayenne Thick 50000
Filius Blue 50000
Explosive Ember 50000
Super Chili 50000
Red Cap Mushroom 50000
Aji Crystal 50000
Variegata 50000
Santaka 50000
Rocoto Yellow 50000
Aji Golden 50000
Ethiopian Brown 50000
Aji Omnicolor 50000
Buena Mulata 50000
Sili-A-Top 50000
Aji Charapita 50000
Golden Nugget 50000
Slowburn 60000
Prairie Fire 70000
Chi-Chien 70000
Tabasco 70000
Thai Little Red Chili 70000
Prik Kee Noo Suan 70000
Aribibi Gusanito 80000
Basket of Fire 80000
Ring of Fire 85000
Thai Hot 100000
Numex Twilight 100000
Tepin 100000
Bird Eye Demon 100000
Firecracker 100000
Habalokia Chocolate 100000
Habanero Primero Red F1 100000
Thai Dragon 140000
Pequin 140000
Habanero Chichen Itza 180000
Jamaican Hot Yellow 200000
Jamaican Hot Red 200000
Jamaican Hot Chocolate 200000
Habalokia Red 200000
Aji Colorado 200000
African Bird's Eye (Piri-Piri) 225000
Habanero Congo Trinidad 300000
Datil 300000
Adjuma 325000
Madame Jeanette 325000
Scotch Bonnet Orange 325000
Scotch Bonnet Yellow 325000
Scotch Bonnet Red 325000
Fatalii Yellow 325000
Habanero Orange 325000
Habanero White Bullet 325000
Habanero Peach 325000
Habanero Red 325000
Burkina Yellow 325000
Habanero Mustard 325000
Devil’s Tongue Yellow 325000
Hot Paper Lantern 325000
Habanero Lemon 325000
Habanero Burning Bush 325000
Habanero Magnum Orange 325000
Habanero Maya Red 325000
Fatalii Red 325000
Devil’s Tongue Red 325000
Habanero Big Sun 325000
Habanero Red Super F1 325000
Trinidad Beans 325000
Fatalii White 325000
Fatalii Pink 325000
Habanero Yellow Super F1 325000
Habanero Helios 325000
Piaozinho 350000
Rawit Red 350000
Bahamian Goat 350000
Habanero Small Yellow Cherry 350000
Habanero Chocolate 425000
Habanero Caribbean Red 445000
I Scream Scorpion 500000
Habanero Red Savina 577000
Naga Black 800000
Bhut Jolokia Copenhagen 800000
Naga Yellow F1 800000
Naga Red F1 800000
Raja Mirch 900000
Vulcain 900000
Naga Morich 1000000
Trinidad Scorpion Red 1000000
7 Pod Red 1000000
7 Pod Yellow 1000000
7 Pod Jonah 1000000
7 Pot Brain Strain Red 1000000
7 Pod Brain Strain Yellow 1000000
Trinidad Scorpion Yellow 1000000
7 Pod Orange1 1000000
Trinidad Scorpion Orange 1000000
7 Pot Brown 1000000
7 Pod Burgundy 1000000
7 Pod White 1000000
7 Pod Chaguanas 1000000
7 Pod Bubblegum Large 1000000
7 Pod Peach 1000000
Trinidad Scorpion Peach 1000000
Monster Naga 1000000
Big Black Mama 1000000
Wraith 1000000
Bhut Jolokia Red 1001300
Bhut Jolokia Chocolate 1001300
Bhut Jolokia Yellow 1001300
Bhut Jolokia Orange 1001300
Bhut Jolokia Purple 1001300
Bhut Jolokia White 1001300
Bhut Jolokia Peach 1001300
Carolina Reaper F1 1250000
Armageddon 1300000
Death Spiral 1300000
Trinidad Scorpion Butch Taylor Red 1463700
7 Pot Primo Red 1469000
7 Pot Lava Red 1800000
7 Pot Douglah 1853936
7 Pod Jigsaw 2000000
Bhutlah Chocolate 2000000
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion White 2000000
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Red 2009231
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Mustard 2009231
Carolina Reaper Red 2200000
Carolina Reaper Chocolate 2200000
Carolina Reaper Yellow 2200000
Dragon's Breath 2480000

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