SCOVILLE SCALE The Scoville scale is a measure of the hotness of a chile. These fruits of the Capsicum genus contain capsaicin, a chemical compound which stimulates heat-receptor nerve endings, and the number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the ratio of capsaicin present. It is named after Wilbur Scoville, who developed the Scoville Organoleptic Test in 1912. As originally devised, a solution of the pepper extract is diluted in sugar water until the 'heat' is no longer detectable to a panel of (usually five) tasters; the degree of dilution gives its measure on the Scoville scale. Thus a sweet pepper, that contains no capsaicin at all, has a Scoville rating of zero (no heat detectable even undiluted); whereas the hottest chiles, such as habaneros, have a rating of 300,000 or more, indicating that their extract has to be diluted 300,000-fold before the capsaicin present is undetectable. The greatest weakness of the Scoville Organoleptic Test is its imprecision, because it relies on human subjectivity. Later developments such as high pressure liquid chromatography (known as "The Gillett Method") have now enabled the Scoville rating to be determined by direct measurement of capsaicin rather than sensory methods. List of Scoville ratings Scoville ratings may vary considerably within a species—easily by a factor of 10 or more—depending on seed lineage, climate and even soil. This is especially true of habaneros. 16,000,000  Pure capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin Blair's 6 A.M. food additive 9,100,000  Nordihydrocapsaicin 8,600,000  Homodihydrocapsaicin and homocapsaicin 7,100,000  The Source sauce, from Original Juan Specialty Foods 5,300,000  Police grade pepper spray 2,000,000  Common pepper spray 1,500,000  Da' Bomb The Final Answer sauce, from Original Juan Specialty Foods 855,000 (reported & disputed)  Naga Jolokia pepper 350,000 - 580,000  Red Savina habanero (Guinness Book of Records) 100,000 - 350,000  Habanero 100,000 - 325,000  Scotch bonnet 100,000 - 225,000  Birds eye pepper 100,000 - 200,000  Jamaican hot pepper 100,000 - 125,000  Carolina cayenne pepper 95,000 - 110,000  Bahamian pepper 90,000  Dave's Ultimate Insanity Sauce 85,000 - 115,000  Tabiche pepper 50,000 - 100,000  Thai pepper 50,000 - 100,000  Chiltepin pepper 50,000  Dave's Insanity Sauce 40,000 - 58,000  Piquin pepper 40,000 - 50,000  Super chile pepper 40,000 - 50,000  Santaka pepper 30,000 - 50,000  Cayenne pepper 30,000 - 50,000  Tabasco pepper 15,000 - 30,000  de Arbol pepper 12,000 - 30,000  Manzano pepper 7,000 - 8,000  Tabasco habanero sauce 5,000 - 23,000  Serrano pepper 5,000 - 10,000  Hot wax pepper 5,000 - 10,000  Chipotle 2,500 - 8,000  Jalapeño 2,500 - 8,000  Santaka pepper 2,500 - 5,000  Guajilla pepper 2,500 - 5,000  Tabasco sauce 1,500 - 2,500  Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce 1,200 - 1,800  Tabasco garlic sauce 1,500 - 2,500  Rocotilla pepper 1,000 - 2,000  Pasilla pepper 1,000 - 2,000  Ancho pepper 1,000 - 2,000  Poblano pepper 700 - 1,000  Coronado pepper 600 - 1,200  Tabasco green pepper sauce 500 - 2,500  Anaheim pepper 500 - 1,000  New Mexico pepper 500 - 700  Santa Fe Grande pepper 100 - 500  Pepperoncini pepper 100 - 500  Pimento 0  Sweet bell pepper BACK Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. If you would like more information about us, please email us at info@saltnpeppersplus.com.
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