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Scoville Heat Scale
For
HOT Peppers

Hot Peppers is in the family called Solanaceae.
Other plants in this family include: Potato, tomato,
petunia, eggplant, and tobacco, to name a few.

Thier Genus name is called: Capsicum. They are approximately 25
wild species & 5 domesticated species. The Five domesticated species are:
C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, C. pubescens

The substance that makes Peppers HOT is an oil called Capsaicin.
It is mostly concentrated in the veins of the pepper, although to a
lesser degree in the seeds as well. In the early 1900's, a man named
Wilbur Scoville invented a system to rate the "Heat" of the different
types of peppers. In the test, peppers were rated with what was called
"Scoville Units." The rating system became known as the "Scoville Heat
Scale." This is still the most common system used today to rate the heat
of peppers. Although,(like everything else), people have tried to develop
new and different rating systems over the years.

The "Scoville Scale" is still the most accurate!

NOTE

The HOTTEST pepper ever on record according to the Guiness Book of World Records
was a Bhut Jolokia Pepper, a.k.a. (Ghost Pepper), which had a scoville rating of 1,001,304 Scoville Units.
This is clearly the type of pepper that you don't even touch with your bare hands..
It has the nick-name the "Ghost Pepper" because people say you "lose your ghost" when you taste it.
This one is TRULY Awesome.. !!!

The Guiness Book of World Records also rates the genus Habanero
as the HOTTEST type of species
of Chile peppers on the face of the earth!

Scoville Heat Scale

100% Pure Capaicin is
16,000,000 Scoville Units!

PEPPER TYPE	SCOVILLE UNITS
Bhut Jolokia -(a.k.a. Ghost Pepper)	995,000 - 1,001,304
Caribbean Red Habanero, Red Savina Habanero	225,000 - 577,000
Scotch Bonnet Habanero	200,000 - 325,000
Habanero, Bird's-Eye, Bulgarian-"carrot"	100,000 - 325,000
Thai Dragon, Jamaica Gold, Santake', Jamaica Red, Kumataka	75,000 - 150,000
Pico de Pajaro, Chile Piquin, Charleston Hot, Tabiche, Bahamian, Carolina Cayenne	70,000 - 120,000
Chipotle, Diablo Grande', China Express, Merah	60,000 - 100,000
Ring of Fire, Golden Cayenne, Haimen	70,000 - 85,000
White Fire, Chiltepin, Tepin, Yatsufusa	40,000 - 70,000
Cayenne, Chile Grande'	35,000 - 55,000
Tabasco, Aji Amarillo, Jaloro	30,000 - 50,000
Super Cayenne, Super Cayenne II, Tears of Fire Hybrid, Varingata	25,000 - 55,000
Super Chili Hybrid, Cayenne Large Red-(Thick), Cayenne Long Slim	20,000 - 40,000
Chile de Arbol, Japones, Shipkas, Manzano	15,000 - 30,000
Serrano, Hidalgo	10,000 - 25,000
Yellow Wax/Hungarian Wax, Puya	5,000 - 15,000
Kung Pao Hybrid, Costeno Rojo	7,000 - 12,000
Louisiana Hot, Biker Billy Jalapeno, Pasilla de Oaxaca	4,000 - 10,000
Pretty Purple Pepper, Giant Thai Hot, Mitla, Jalapa, Hybrid #7, Grande', Pecos F-1, Tula F1, Mucho-Nacho Jalapeno	4,000 - 8,000
Jalapeno, Chilcostle	3,500 - 5,000
Miasol, Saber Hybrid, Anaheim TMR-23, Onza Rojo, Ole' Pup, Volcano, Cherry Bomb, Inferno, Serrano Tampinqueno, Red Cherry, Guajillo, Huasteco	2,500 - 5,000
Garden Salsa Hybrid, Jalapa Hybrid, Mesilla, Serrano Chili-(Mild), Hungarian Heat, Garden Salsa F-1, MexiBell Imp.	2,000 - 4,500
Sandia', Cascabel, Pulla, Rocotillo	1500 - 2500
Ancho, Poblano, Crimson Hot, Poinsettia, Cascabel	1250 - 2500
Tam Mild Jalapeno, Szentesi Semi-Hot, Chihuacle Negro, Costeno Amarillo, Espanola	1,250 - 2,000
Pasilla, Espanola, Prairie Fire, Ancho Gigantia	1,000 - 1,500
NuMex Big Jim, Floral Gem	1,000 - 1,400
Mulato Isleno, Negro/Pasilla, NuMex Joe E. Parker	900 - 1,500
Anaheim, New Mexico, Aji Mirasol, NuMex Twilight, Ancho Vila, Romanian Hot Hybrid	800 - 1,400
Aji Panca, NuMex Sunburst, NuMex Sunglow, Ancho Ranchero, Jalepe' Mild Hybrid, El-Paso, Coronado	500 - 1000
Cowhorn	350 - 500
Senorita Jalapeno, False Alarm Hybrid, Salsa Delight, Marbles	250 - 500
Delicias, Trinadad	200 - 500
Cherry Pepper, Mexi-Bells, Pepperoncini	100 - 500
Pasilla Bajio, Anaheim-(Mild)	100 - 250
Mild Bell Pepper, Sweet Banana, Pimento	0

* When peppers are Dehydrated they tend to increase in "Heat" by about 10 times.

Harvest May Vary

Anyone that grows veggies or even flowers knows that each plant can produce different results. Some reasons are growing conditions such as the soil and the amount of light and shade. It can also be affected by the time of day that a certain bloom will mature. This will affect the yield and taste of each individual harvest. The same fact is true on Hot Pepper plants. This is why you see a range of scoville units listed beside each pepper species. Because the "Heat" from each pepper can vary from plant-to-plant, and even from each pepper on the same plant.
So don't be fooled if you taste a pepper that is not real hot, the very next one from the same plant could set you on FIRE!

Taming The Heat

There is a lot of different "folklore" about how to Cool down the heat from a Hot Pepper. The biggest False statement is the one that suggests you drink large amounts of water. And that is the worst thing you can do actually.
Do Not Drink Water
Water will not break down the Capsaicin Oil, and only tends to spread it around into all areas of your mouth.

Some people will tell you that eating Peanut Butter will help ease the heat. And this will actually work because the two oils work together in breaking each other down. Other people also claim that eating a slice of bread will help to Tame the heat. This will also work because the bread will help to absorb the Capsaicin Oils.
And then others claim that eating Ice Cream is a great way to help Tame the Heat. These people are actually more correct than they may be aware of. But it has nothing to do with the coldness of the Ice Cream. Ice Cream or any dairy product will work, but a glass of Milk is actually The Best! Dairy products contain a chemical called Casein which is THE Best thing known to break down the heat and the Oil Capsaicin. (The chemical Casein is also where dairy products get there Protein from).

So I guess the reality of it all would be to combine the three together. So for you "folks" that can't take the Heat from Hot Peppers, try eating a peanut butter sandwich while drinking a large glass of milk.

However, in my personal opinion.
The best way to get rid of the Heat from a Hot Pepper,
is to simply eat another Hot Pepper!

Pepper Sprays

Since this page is on the "Scoville Scale" and the heat from Capsaicin Oils ,
I should mention the defensive spray known as Pepper Spray.
The amounts of "Scoville Units" in pepper spray are HUGE numbers. But most "experts" say that number gets reduced during the actual spraying of the pepper spray. They will cite reasons for the decrease to be things such as whether it will spray or mist while going to the target, the distance it travels thru the air from the weapon and the target, and some even say the temperature and humidity in the air at the time will effect its strength.
These reasons will make sense for a decrease if you think about them openly. But they are still rated at a HUGE number that is truly meant to put someone down. To someone that is using them for defensive purposes, you hope they will make someone go temporarly blind and disoriented. They actually have two types of sprays listed for the public. One is the common type for sale to the general public. And one is listed as "Police Forces-Standard Issue". The general public can still buy the "PD-standard issue" type if you go to the proper place that sells it. There is a difference in the "Scoville Units", but both sprays can still be very effective.

Here is a list of what the "Scoville Units" are rated as "openly" to the public.

For Public Use: _ Pepper Spray rates= 2,000,000 - "Scoville Units"

Police Dept. "standard issue":_ Pepper Spray rates= 5,300,000 - "Scoville Units" **

**

After SERIOUS searching into various sources, the "rating" for the Police Dept. always turned up only the numbers for the "standard issue" rating. I truly do not understand why! Because the "Police standard issue" is NOT what the Officers are carrying on their belts. I have friends and family in Law Enforcement here in Bay County, Florida, and I know for a fact that "Scoville Rating" is incorrect! I personally OWN a canister of "Pepper Spray" that is rated over 8,000,000 "Scoville Units"! And I've been told that the Police have them that will rate as high as 10,000,000 units.

No matter what the strength, PLEASE use Pepper Spray only in an extreme emergency.
Some of these pepper sprays can be WICKED!

GOD BLESS AMERICA

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