Below 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:
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.
| Name | SHU |
|---|---|
| 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 |