Just How HOT Are My Chiles?



Professor

Wilber L. Scoville In 1912 a chemists by the name of Wilbur Scoville, working for the Parke-Davis pharmaceutical company, developed a method to measure the heat level of chile peppers. The test is named after him, the "Scoville Organoleptic Test". It is a subjective dilution-taste procedure. In the original test, Wilbur blended pure ground Chiles with sugar-water and a panel of "testers" then sipped the solution, in increasingly diluted concentrations, until they reached the point that the liquid no longer burned their mouths. A number was then assigned to each chile pepper based on how much it needed to be diluted before they could no longer taste (feel) the heat. "1,000,000 drops of water is rated at only 1.5 Scoville Units" The pungency (or heat factor) of chile peppers is measured in multiples of 100 units. The sweet bell peppers at zero Scoville units to the mighty Naga Jolokia (Ghost Pepper) at over 1,000,000 Scoville units! One part of chile "heat" per 1,000,000 drops of water is rated at only 1.5 Scoville Units. The substance that makes a chile so hot is called Capsaicin (cap-say-ah-sin). Pure Capsaicin rates between 15,000,000 and 16,000,000 Scoville Units! Today more scientific and accurate methods like Electrochemistry and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) are used to determine capsaicin levels. In honor of Dr. Wilbur the unit of measure is still named Scoville. Below is a list of Chile peppers and their Scoville Heat Units. Due to variations in growing conditions, soil and weather, peppers tend to vary between the lower and upper levels listed, but can go beyond them.

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Scoville Heat Unit Rated Hot Chile Peppers Chile Pepper Heat Range All Sweet Bells 0 Aconcagua 0 Aji Chuncho 0 Aladdin 0 Branco Diamante 0 Carliston 0 Carmagnola Rosso 0 Corno Verde 0 Corona 0 Cuneo Giallo 0 Diamond White 0 Dove 0 Early Sunsation 0 Etham 0 Figaro 0 Filfil Darah 0 Fushimi 0 Gigante 0 Greygo 0 Hershey 0 Hungarian Wax 0 Islander 0 Jimmy Nardello 0 Jingle Bells 0 Jupiter 0 Kaala 0 Kandil 0 Marconi Purple 0 NuMex Conquistador 0 Orage Sun 0 Pimento 0 Purple Beauty 0 Quadrato D'Asti 0 Sweet Banana 0 Tangerine 0 Hot Navajo 50 ~ 150 Paprika-Super Red 50 ~ 200 Hot Cherry 50 ~ 500 Avalon Button 100 ~ 500 Babura Zelena 100 ~ 500 Baldi 100 ~ 500 Cachucha 100 ~ 500 Cambuci 100 ~ 500 Catarina 100 ~ 500 Chilhuacle 100 ~ 500 Corbaci 100 ~ 500 Criollo 100 ~ 500 Feher Ozon Paprika 100 ~ 500 Frutka 100 ~ 500 Georgescu Chocolate 100 ~ 500 Guajilla de Zihutenejo 100 ~ 500 Karlo 100 ~ 500 Keystone Giant 100 ~ 500 NuMex Sunburst 100 ~ 500 Pepperoncini 100 ~ 500 NuMex Eclipse 300 ~ 500 Sonora 300 ~ 600 Holy Mole 400 ~ 700 NuMex Suave Orange 500 ~ 850 NuMex Suave Red 500 ~ 850 El-Paso 500 ~ 700 Santa Fe Grande 500 ~ 750 Cubanelle 300 ~ 1,000 Agua Blanca 500 ~ 1,000 NuMex R Naky 500 ~ 1,000 Ametista 500 ~ 1,000 Beaver Dam 500 ~ 1,000 Bedgi 500 ~ 1,000 Biquinho 500 ~ 1,000 Brinco de Princesa 500 ~ 1,000 Calistan 500 ~ 1,000 Escabeche 500 ~ 1,000 Gana Redonda 500 ~ 1,000 NuMex Sunflare 500 ~ 1,000 NuMex Sunglo 500 ~ 1,000 NuMex Sunrise 500 ~ 1,000 NuMex Twilight 800 ~ 1,000 Peppadew 900 ~ 1,200 Romanian Hot 800 ~ 1,400 Georgia Flame 1,000 ~ 1,500 Achar 1,000 ~ 1,500 Aji Panca 1,000 ~ 1,500 Almapaprika 1,000 ~ 1,500 Dedo de Moca 1,000 ~ 1,500 Mulato Isleño 1,000 ~ 1,500 TAM Mild Jalapeno 1,000 ~ 1,500 Poblano 500 ~ 2,000 Espanola 1,000 ~ 2,000 Ancho 1,000 ~ 2,000 Mulato 1,000 ~ 2,000 Pasilla 1,000 ~ 2,000 NuMex Española 1,500 ~ 2,000 Anaheim 500 ~ 2,500 Sandia 500 ~ 2,500 Cascabel 1,000 ~ 2,500 Poinsettia 1,300 ~ 2,500 Aji Andina 1,000 ~ 2,500 Aji Benito 1,000 ~ 2,500 Alcalde 1,300 ~ 2,500 Ammazzo 1,300 ~ 2,500 Calabria 1,300 ~ 2,500 NuMex Big Jim 1,500 ~ 2,500 Rocotillo 1,500 ~ 2,500 Peter 1,500 ~ 2,500 Pulla 700 ~ 3,000 Puya 900 ~ 3,000 Merah 2,000 ~ 3,200 NuMex Joe E. Parker 1,500 ~ 3,500 Espelette 1,200 ~ 4,000 Cascabella 1,500 ~ 4,000 San Ardo 1,500 ~ 4,000 Big Jim Heritage 2,000 ~ 4,000 Brazilian Starfish 2,000 ~ 4,000 Espanola Improved 2,000 ~ 4,000 Dhamraj 3,500 ~ 4,300 Caloro 1,000 ~ 5,000 Cyklon 1,000 ~ 5,000 Nosegay 1,000 ~ 5,000 NuMex Centennial 1,000 ~ 5,000 Pimientos de Padrón 1,000 ~ 5,000 Bulgarian Carrot 2,000 ~ 5,000 NuMex Primavera 2,000 ~ 5,000 Ubatuba Cambuci 2,000 ~ 5,000 Atomic Heart 2,500 ~ 5,000 Azr 2,500 ~ 5,000 Baccio di Satana 2,500 ~ 5,000 Bermuda 2,500 ~ 5,000 Bouquet 2,500 ~ 5,000 Cenoura Búlgara 2,500 ~ 5,000 Cereja 2,500 ~ 5,000 Chilaca 2,500 ~ 5,000 Chilcostle 2,500 ~ 5,000 Chile de Cuscutlan 2,500 ~ 5,000 Chintexle 2,500 ~ 5,000 Cochabamba 2,500 ~ 5,000 Cochiti 2,500 ~ 5,000 Costeño 2,500 ~ 5,000 Costeño Amarillo 2,500 ~ 5,000 Dhanraj 2,500 ~ 5,000 Equador Roxa 2,500 ~ 5,000 Floral Gem 2,500 ~ 5,000 Fogo Explosivo 2,500 ~ 5,000 Fresno Supreme 2,500 ~ 5,000 Goan 2,500 ~ 5,000 Golden Nugget 2,500 ~ 5,000 Guajillo 2,500 ~ 5,000 Gulbarga 2,500 ~ 5,000 Guntur 2,500 ~ 5,000 Hari Mirch 2,500 ~ 5,000 Hidalgo 2,500 ~ 5,000 Huachinango 2,500 ~ 5,000 Huasteco 2,500 ~ 5,000 Huatulco Puntado 2,500 ~ 5,000 Inca 2,500 ~ 5,000 Inchanga 2,500 ~ 5,000 Isleta 2,500 ~ 5,000 Jemes 2,500 ~ 5,000 Kalia 2,500 ~ 5,000 Kerinting 2,500 ~ 5,000 Kori Sitakame 2,500 ~ 5,000 Mirasol 2,500 ~ 5,000 NuMex Rio Grande 2,500 ~ 5,000 Volcano 2,500 ~ 5,000 Goat Horn 3,000 ~ 5,000 NM 6-4 Heritage 3,000 ~ 5,000 Chimayo 4,000 ~ 6,000 Hatch Green 5,000 ~ 6,000 Barker's Hot 5,00 ~ 7,000 Chipotle 5,000 ~ 8,000 Fresno 2,500 ~ 8,500 Long Thick Cayenne 6,000 ~ 8,500 Jalapeño 2,500 ~ 8,000 Pretty Purple 4,000 ~ 8,000 Purple Tiger 'Trifetti' 4,000 ~ 9,000 Hot Wax 5,000 ~ 9,000 Sandia Hot 7,000 ~ 9,000 Earbob 3,000 ~ 10,000 Hungarian Hot Wax 5,000 ~ 10,000 NuMex Sandia 5,000 ~ 10,000 Kung Pao 8,000 ~ 10,000 Lumbre Hot 9,000 ~ 10,000 Chili Maya 8,000 ~ 11,000 Abbraccio 5,000 ~ 15,000 Afegã Curta 5,000 ~ 15,000 Aji Cobincho 5,000 ~ 15,000 Balãozinho 5,000 ~ 15,000 Bishop's Crown 5,000 ~ 15,000 Cseresznye Paprika 5,000 ~ 15,000 Dutch Red 5,000 ~ 15,000 Estrela-do-Mar 5,000 ~ 15,000 Israeli Hot 5,000 ~ 15,000 Jarales 5,000 ~ 15,000 Aji Bento 9,000 ~ 15,500 Hidalgo 6,000 ~ 17,000 Aji Escabeche 12,000 ~ 17,000 Serrano 8,000 ~ 22,000 Tears Of Fire 19,000 ~ 23,600 Peruvian Purple 15,000 ~ 25,000 Tian Ying 18,000 ~ 25,000 Gambia 18,000 ~ 26,500 Stumpy 10,000 ~ 27,000 Bolivian Rainbow 10,000 ~ 28,000 Punjab 21,000 ~ 29,500 Cabai Burong 5,000 ~ 30,000 Cabai Merah Besar 5,000 ~ 30,000 Fish Pepper 5,000 ~ 30,000 Holiday Cheer 5,000 ~ 30,000 Hot Portugal 5,000 ~ 30,000 Inca Red Drop 5,000 ~ 30,000 New Delhi Long 5,000 ~ 30,000 Onza Red 5,000 ~ 30,000 Onza Yellow 5,000 ~ 30,000 Orozco 5,000 ~ 30,000 Royal Black 5,000 ~ 30,000 Black Prince 10,000 ~ 30,000 Takanotsume 10,000 ~ 30,000 Manzano 12,000 ~ 30,000 Shipkas 12,000 ~ 30,000 Abchazskij Ostruyi 15,000 ~ 30,000 Afega Longa 15,000 ~ 30,000 Aji Carmine 15,000 ~ 30,000 Aji Criolla Sella 15,000 ~ 30,000 Assam 15,000 ~ 30,000 Ata Barukono 15,000 ~ 30,000 Australian Latern 15,000 ~ 30,000 Berbere 15,000 ~ 30,000 Beslers Cherry 15,000 ~ 30,000 Bode Amarela 15,000 ~ 30,000 Bombilla Amarilla 15,000 ~ 30,000 Bonanza Brasileira 15,000 ~ 30,000 Bubba 15,000 ~ 30,000 Caballero 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chao Tian Jiao 15,000 ~ 30,000 Cheyenne 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chi Chien 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chile Inayague 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chile Maya 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chile Pepe 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chilito de Simojovel 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chinchi Uchu 15,000 ~ 30,000 Chivato 15,000 ~ 30,000 De Arbol 15,000 ~ 30,000 Dedo de Bahamas 15,000 ~ 30,000 Erva de Bode 15,000 ~ 30,000 Gâmbia Vermelha 15,000 ~ 30,000 Golden Heat 15,000 ~ 30,000 Hahony Kacho 15,000 ~ 30,000 Havaiana 15,000 ~ 30,000 Inca Glow 15,000 ~ 30,000 Inca Laranja 15,000 ~ 30,000 Kim Chi 15,000 ~ 30,000 NuMex Barker's Hot 15,000 ~ 30,000 Pimenta de Bode 15,000 ~ 30,000 Serrano Tampiqueño 15,000 ~ 30,000 Black Pearl 20,000 ~ 30,000 Chupetinho 20,000 ~ 30,000 Little Elf 20,000 ~ 30,000 Jwala 20,000 ~ 30,000 Dundicut 20,000 ~ 40,000 Beni Highland 31,500 ~ 42,600 Jaloro 30,000 ~ 50,000 Aji 30,000 ~ 50,000 NuMex Luci Fairy 30,000 ~ 50,000 Aci Sivri 30,000 ~ 50,000 Akabare 30,000 ~ 50,000 Aurora 30,000 ~ 50,000 Bonney 30,000 ~ 50,000 Jaloro 30,000 ~ 50,000 Aji 30,000 ~ 50,000 Coban 30,000 ~ 50,000 Cumari 30,000 ~ 50,000 Demre 30,000 ~ 50,000 Desi Teekhi 30,000 ~ 50,000 Dhani 30,000 ~ 50,000 Dieng Plateau 30,000 ~ 50,000 Diente de Perro 30,000 ~ 50,000 Dong Xuan 30,000 ~ 50,000 Dunso 30,000 ~ 50,000 Etna 30,000 ~ 50,000 Faria 30,000 ~ 50,000 Guarani 30,000 ~ 50,000 Hermosillo 30,000 ~ 50,000 DKurnool 30,000 ~ 50,000 Maras Biber 30,000 ~ 50,000 Purple Prince 30,000 ~ 50,000 Lemon Drop 30,000 ~ 50,000 Tabasco 30,000 ~ 50,000 Cayenne 30,000 ~ 50,000 Fiji 30,000 ~ 50,000 Filius Blue 30,000 ~ 50,000 Pusa Jwala 30,000 ~ 50,000 Urfa Biber 30,000 ~ 50,000 Santaka 40,000 ~ 50,000 NuMex Piñata 40,000 ~ 50,000 Super Chile 40,000 ~ 50,000 African Pequin 40,000 ~ 57,000 Piquin 40,000 ~ 58,000 Prik Kee Noo 50,000 ~ 70,000 Tien Tsin 50,000 ~ 70,000 NuMex XX Hot 60,000 ~ 70,000 Yatsafusa 50,000 ~ 75,000 Red Amazon 55,000 ~ 75,000 Haimen 70,000 ~ 80,000 Suryaki Cluster 65,000 ~ 81,400 Chiltecpin 60,000 ~ 85,000 Ring of Fire 70,000 ~ 85,000 Cili Goronong 50,000 ~ 100,000 Aji Charapa 50,000 ~ 100,000 Thai 50,000 ~ 100,000 Diablo Grande 60,000 ~ 100,000 Malagueta 60,000 ~ 100,000 Charleston 70,000 ~ 100,000 Pico de Pajaro 70,000 ~ 100,000 Merah 85,000 ~ 100,000 Aji Cito 85,000 ~ 108,000 Bahamian 95,000 ~ 110,000 Tabiche 85,000 ~ 115,000 Bahamian 95,000 ~ 110,000 Assam 75,000 ~ 121,000 Carolina Cayenne 100,000 ~ 125,000 Thai Dragon 75,000 ~ 140,000 Limo Blanco 100,000 ~ 150,000 Cajamarca 125,000 ~ 150,000 Kumataka 125,000 ~ 150,000 Sparkler 100,000 ~ 160,000 Rooster Spur 120,000 ~ 170,000 Ecuador Hot 145,000 ~ 186,000 Bahamian 125,000 ~ 300,000 Jamaican Hot 100,000 ~ 200,000 Birds Eye 100,000 ~ 225,000 Maori 80,000 ~ 240,000 Quintisho 100,000 ~ 240,000 Pimenta de Neyde 100,000 ~ 250,000 Rocoto / Manzano 125,000 ~ 250,000 Madame Jeanette 175,000 ~ 250,000 Tepin (Wild) 100,000 ~ 265,000 Texas Chiltepin 100,000 ~ 265,000 Datil 100,000 ~ 300,000 Zimbabwe Bird 180,000 ~ 300,000 Devil Tongue 125,000 ~ 325,000 Fatalii 125,000 ~ 325,000 White Habanero 130,000 ~ 325,000 Orange Habanero 150,000 ~ 325,000 Scotch Bonnet 90,000 ~ 325,000 TigrePaw-NR 265,000 ~ 348,000 Adjuma 150,000 ~ 350,000 Caribbean Red 120,000 ~ 400,000 Choclate Habanero 325,000 ~ 425,000 Aribibi Gusano 300,000 ~ 470,000 Aji Chombo 100,000 ~ 500,000 Pingo de Ouro 100,000 ~ 500,000 Red Savina Habanero 350,000 ~ 575,000 Habanaga 500,000 ~ 800,000 Nagabon 750,000 ~ 800,000 Raja Mirch 800,000 ~ 900,000 Dorset Naga 800,000 ~ 970,000 Naga Morich 770,000 ~ 1,034,910 Infinity 800,000 ~ 1,067,286 Naga Gibralta 900,000 ~ 1,086,844 Naga Viper 800,000 ~ 1,382,118 Trinidad Scorpion 1,029,000 ~ 1,390,000 Naga Jolokia "Ghost Pepper" 1,020,000 ~ 1,578,000 Choclate 7 Pot 1,169,000 ~ 1,850,000 Moruga Scorpion 1,200,000 ~ 2,009,231 Carolina Reaper 1,200,000 ~ 2,100,000 Common Pepper Spray 2-3,000,000 Police Grade Spray 5,300,000 Homodihydrocapsaicin 8,600,000 Nordihydrocapsaicin 9,100,000 Pure Capsaicin 15-16,000,000

A Little Chile Chemistry For

The Visiting Rocket Scientist

Chiles are members of the Capsicum family. The heat range is diverse, ranging from very mild to extremely wild. The particular class of substances that determine their disposition is known, by those who study such things, as Capsaicinoids. The two most common component of this class are Capsaicin and Di-Hydrocapsaicin they looks something like this.

Capsaicin

H3CO \____ O CH3 / \ | | HO-< >-C-N-C-(CH2)4-C=C-C-CH3 \____/ | | | | | H2 H H H H

Di-Hydrocapsaicin

H3CO \____ O CH3 / \ | | HO-< >-C-N-C-(CH2)6-C-CH3 \____/ | | H2 H

Capsaicin and Di-hydrocapsaicin together make up 80-90% of the Capsaicinoids found in Chile peppers. In the Capsicum annum species, the total Capsaicinoid content ranges from 0.1 to 1.0%, and the Capsaicin to Dihydrocapsaicin ratio is about 1:1. In Capsicum frutescens the total content ranges from 0.4-1.0% with the ratio around 2:1.

The minor Capsaicinoids include Nordihydrocapsaicin [Dihydrocapsaicin with a (CH2)5 instead of (CH2)6], Homocapsaicin [Capsaicin with a (CH2)5 instead of (CH2)4, and Homodihydrocapsaicin [Dihydrocapsaicin with a (CH2)7 instead of (CH2)6].

The different capsaicin-like compounds found in Chiles have slight structural variations in the hydrocarbon tail, changing their ability to bind to the nerve receptors and their ability to penetrate layers of receptors on the tongue, mouth, and throat. This may explain why some Chiles burn in the mouth, while others burn deep in the throat.

Capsaicinoids are not soluble in water, but very soluble in fats, oils and alcohol. This is why drinking water after accepting a dare to eat an extra hot Habanero Chile won't stop the burning. Downing a cold beer is the traditional remedy, but the small percentage of alcohol will not wash away much capsaicin. To get some relief from a chile burn (can't think of a good reason not to "Enjoy the heat"), drink milk or eat ice-cream. Milk contains casein, a lipophilic (fat-loving) substance that surrounds and washes away the fatty capsaicin molecules in much the same way that soap washes away grease.

The perception that peppers are "hot" is not an accident. The capsaicin key opens a door in the cell membrane that allows calcium ions to flood into the cell. That ultimately triggers a pain signal that is transmitted to the next cell. When the cells are exposed to heat, the same events occur. Chile burns and heat burns are similar at the molecular, cellular, and sensory levels.

Paradoxically, capsaicin's ability to cause pain makes it useful in alleviating pain. Exposure to capsaicin lowers sensitivity to pain, and it is applied as a counter irritant in the treatment of arthritis and other chronically painful conditions.

The capsaicinoids are unique compared to other spicy substances, such as piperine (black pepper) and gingerol (ginger) in that capsaicin causes a long-lasting selective desensitization to the pain and discomfort, as a result of repeated doses. The result is an increasing ability to tolerate ever hotter foods and permits one to assume the title of "Chile-Head" or "CH" for short.

People that eat lots of spicy capsaicin-rich foods build up a tolerance to it. The incentive: Once a person has become somewhat desensitized to the extreme heat of the "hotter" Chiles, he or she can starts on a new culinary journey. Not being over powered by the heat factor, the palate now has the ability to explore the many diverse flavors offered by the myriad of different Chiles that are currently available from around the world. Also for some Chile-Heads a good jolt of capsaicin excites the nervous system into producing endorphins, which promote a pleasant sense of well-being that can last several hours. The endorphin lift or "high", makes spicy foods mildly addictive and for some, an obsession.

I offer the below information and pictures for folks that are really into the science of Chiles.



Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2001

Uncle Steve,

Here are the images as promised. I included structures of some of the minor capsaicinoids as well.

There are two versions (a and b) of each structure, corresponding to different conventions of drawing. They're equally correct and unequivocal, and you're free to choose whichever version you prefer. The 'a' convention is most commonly used by chemists, but the 'b' convention might be a bit easier to understand for non-chemists.

Best regards,

John Henninge

Capsaicin-a



Capsaicin-b











Dihydrocapsaicin-a



Dihydrocapsaicin-b











Homocapsaicin-a



Homocapsaicin-b











Homodihydrocapsaicin-a



Homodihydrocapsaicin-b











Nordihydrocapsaicin-a



Nordihydrocapsaicin-b





Last but not least (Just in case you want to know all about Capsaicinoids)

Melting point: 65 ° C

Boiling point: 210-220 ° C at 0.01 torr pressure

Sorce: The Merck Index. 12th Edition. Merck & Co., Inc. Whitehouse Station, NJ. 1996.

Still need more HOT Chile Pepper information?