Scoville Scale
True Leaf Market proudly sells some of the most diverse and exotic varieties of Heirloom and Non-GMO Pepper Seeds from sugary sweet to unrelentingly hot! Let us help you figure out where some of your favorite peppers rank amongst the hottest peppers in the world.
How is Scoville Measured?
The Scoville Scale is used to measure the amount of Capsaicinoid compounds or the "spiciness" of peppers. This measurement can vary greatly even for the exact same type of pepper, so Scoville Heat Units (SHU) are generally measured as an approximate heat range that a pepper falls into.
Until recently, the SHU of a given pepper was still measured using highly subjective organoloptic tests, meaning that peppers are tested via the 5 senses including taste and touch. Scientists understood the flaws in measuring capsaicin levels using taste and touch and development a more scientifically approach by using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
HPLC is a fairly complex process, one which can be used to measure many things beyond the Scoville Scale such as testing pungency in horseradish, onion, garlic, and other "spicy" fruits and vegetables that do not necessarily have any capsaicin.
Since 2011, the measuring of Scoville Heat Units has been almost universally replaced by the improved HPLC method, which allows for scientists to test the levels for potentially fatal amounts of capsaicin in things other than peppers.
| Pepper Variety | Average Scoville Heat Units |
|---|---|
| Sweet | 0 SHU |
| Fushimi Pepper | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Tangerine Dream | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Petit Marseillais | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Chervena Chushka | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Jimmy Nardello | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Antohi Romani | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Gypsy Pepper | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Bell Pepper | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Giant Marconi Pepper | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Chocolate Beauty Pepper | ≈ 0 SHU |
| Mild | 1-1000 SHU |
| Burpee Pepper | ≈ 0-200 SHU |
| Shishito Pepper | ≈ 50-200 SHU |
| Corno di Toro | ≈ 0-500 SHU |
| Pimento | ≈ 100-500 SHU |
| Banana Pepper | ≈ 100-500 SHU |
| Pepperoncini | ≈ 100-500 SHU |
| Tobago Seasoning Pepper | ≈ 400-500 SHU |
| Mariachi Pepper | ≈ 500-600 SHU |
| Santa Fe Grande Pepper | ≈ 500-700 SHU |
| Italian Pepper | ≈ 100-1,000 SHU |
| Mexibell | ≈ 100-1000 SHU |
| Cubanelle Pepper  | ≈ 100-1000 SHU |
| Paprika | ≈ 250-1000 SHU |
| Medium | 1,000-10,000 SHU |
| Georgia Flame | ≈ 1,000-1,500 SHU |
| Mulato Isleno Pepper | ≈ 1,000-1,500 SHU |
| Ancho Pepper | ≈ 1000-1,500 SHU |
| Anaheim Chili | ≈ 500-2,500 SHU |
| Pasilla Pepper | ≈ 1,000-2,500 SHU |
| Chinese Dragon Tongue | ≈ 1,500-2,500 SHU |
| Rocotillo Pepper | ≈ 1,500-2,500 SHU |
| NuMex Big Jim | ≈ 2,000-3,000 SHU |
| Basque Pepper | ≈ 400-4,000 SHU |
| Cascabella | ≈ 1,500-4,000 SHU |
| Garden Salsa  | ≈ 1,000-5,000 SHU |
| Rio Grande Chili | ≈ 1,000-5,000 SHU |
| Caloro Pepper | ≈ 1,000-5,000 SHU |
| Tunisian Baklouti Pepper | ≈ 1,000-5,000 SHU |
| Korean Green Chili | ≈ 1,500-5,000 SHU |
| Red Cherry Pepper | ≈ 2,500-5,000 SHU |
| Guajilla Chile | ≈ 2,500-5,000 SHU |
| Sandia Pepper | ≈ 5,000-7,000 SHU |
| Jalapeño Pepper | ≈ 2,500-8,000 SHU |
| Black Hungarian Pepper | ≈ 2,000-10,000 SHU |
| Fresno Chili | ≈ 2,500-10,000 SHU |
| Pichit Pepper | ≈ 5,000-10,000 SHU |
| Hot | 10,000-100,000 SHU |
| Hungarian Wax Pepper | ≈ 1,000-15,000 SHU |
| Pure Capsiate | ≈ 16,000 SHU |
| Pueblo Pepper | ≈ 5,000-20,000 SHU |
| Serrano Tampiqueno Pepper | ≈ 8,000-20,000 SHU |
| Jaloro Pepper | ≈ 20,000-25,000 SHU |
| Giant Ristra | ≈ 5,000-30,000 SHU |
| Bishop's Crown | ≈ 5,000-30,000 SHU |
| Fish Pepper | ≈ 5,000-30,000 SHU |
| Bulgarian Carrot | ≈ 5,000-30,000 SHU |
| Manzano Pepper | ≈ 12,000-30,000 SHU |
| Limòn Pepper | ≈ 15,000-30,000 SHU |
| Chili De Arbol | ≈ 15,000-30,000 SHU |
| Jwala Pepper | ≈ 20,000-30,000 SHU |
| Calabrian Chili | ≈ 25,000-40,000 SHU |
| Maules Red Hot | ≈ 30,000-50,000 SHU |
| Hot Portugal | ≈ 30,000-50,000 SHU |
| Tabasco | ≈ 30,000-50,000 SHU |
| Cayenne | ≈ 30,000-50,000 SHU |
| Aji Chili | ≈ 40,000-50,000 SHU |
| Santaka Pepper | ≈ 40,000-50,000 SHU |
| Satan's Kiss | ≈ 40,000-50,000 SHU |
| Cuban Chili | ≈ 40,000-50,000 SHU |
| Pequin Pepper | ≈ 30,000-60,000 SHU |
| Fresh Ginger | ≈ 60,000 |
| Patio Fire Chili | ≈ 70,000-80,000 SHU |
| Birds Eye | ≈ 50,000-100,000 SHU |
| Thai Chili  | ≈ 50,000-100,000 SHU |
| Chiltepin Pepper | ≈ 50,000-100,000 SHU |
| Charleston Hot | ≈ 70,000-100,000 SHU |
| Very Hot | 100,000 - 1,000,000 SHU |
| Malagueta/Black Pepper | ≈ 100,000 |
| Dried or Cooked Ginger | ≈ 160,000 |
| African Devil | ≈ 50,000-175,000 SHU |
| Jamaican Red Pepper | ≈ 100,000-200,000 SHU |
| Red Cheese Pepper | ≈ 100,000-300,000 SHU |
| Fatalii | ≈ 125,000-325,000 SHU |
| Habanero Pepper | ≈ 100,000-350,000 SHU |
| Scotch Bonnet Pepper | ≈ 80,000-400,000 SHU |
| Red Habanero | ≈ 300,000-450,000 SHU |
| Chocolate Habanero | ≈ 425,000-577,000 SHU |
| HabaNaga Pepper | ≈ 500,000-800,000 SHU |
| NagaBon Pepper | ≈ 750,000-800,000 SHU |
| Raja Mirchi | ≈ 800,000-900,000 SHU |
| Hottest Peppers on Earth | >1,000,000 SHU |
| Ghost Pepper | ≈ 850,000-1,040,000 SHU |
| New Mexico Scorpion | ≈ 1,000,000-1,190,000 SHU |
| Naga Viper | ≈ 900,000-1,400,000 SHU |
| Scorpion Butch T | ≈ 1,000,000-1,465,000 SHU |
| Dorset Naga | ≈ 1,000,000-1,600,000 SHU |
| Chocolate Bhutlah | ≈ 1,400,000-2,000,000 SHU |
| Common Pepper Spray | ≈ 2,000,000 |
| Moruga Scorpion | ≈ 1,200,000-2,010,000 SHU |
| Carolina Reaper | ≈ 1,600,000-2,200,000 SHU |
| Dragon's Breath | ≈ 2,480,000 SHU (unofficial) |
| Pepper X | ≈ 3,180,000 SHU |
| Even Spicier Chemicals | >5,000,000 SHU |
| Police Grade Pepper Spray | ≈ 5,300,000 |
| Pure Homocapsaicin | ≈ 8,600,000 SHU |
| Pure Nordihydrocapsaicin | ≈ 9,100,000 SHU |
| These Will Probably Kill You | > 5,000,000,000 SHU |
| Tinyatoxin | ≈ 5,300,000,000 SHU |
| Resiniferatoxin | ≈ 16,000,000,000 SHU |
| Resin Spurge (Cactus) | ≈ 16,000,000,000 SHU |
What is Capsaicin?
Peppers in the Capsicum genus are the only plants that contain Capsaicinoids. However there are a few other plants that contain similar acting spicy compounds, and therefore they can be measured with relative accuracy using the Scoville Scale.
Members of the Zingiberaceae family like Ginger, Black Pepper, and Cardamom do not contain any capsaicin, however they contain similar acting spicy capsaicinoids like Shagaol, Gingerine and Piperine. These compounds can be measured with relative success using the Scoville Scale.
Euphorbia poissonii or The Resin Spurge Cactus has two extremely potent capsaicin-like compounds called Resiniferatoxin and Tinyatoxin. As the names imply these chemicals are so incredibly spicy that they're actually considered toxins and can be fatal or at least the potential to seriously harm if ingested. Like the Ginger Family, the heat level of this species can be measured with fair accuracy using the Scoville Scale even though it contains no capsaicinoids.
"Spicy" Brassicas like horseradish, arugula, wasabi, radish, and mustards cannot have their heat measured using the Scoville Scale. They contain a compound called Allyl Isothiocyanate. This oily chemical causes the short lived aromatic nasally burn that comes with ingesting these roots. This response is too different from the longer lasting tongue burn caused by capsaicinoids to accurately measure them using the same scale.
Onions, Leeks, Garlic, and Shallots contain a different pungent burning chemical called Allicin. While their heat also cannot be measured using the Scoville Scale they actually have their own heat potency scale called the Pyruvate Scale. Both scales use HPLC to measure the potency of their irritating chemicals.
Finally there are many unrelated spices that unfortunately have no real way of having the potency of their heat measured. Eugenol is likely the heat causing compound for the majority if not all of these spices. These include Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg, Cor Cloves, Bay Leaves, Anise, Star Anise, Licorice, Fennel, Cumin, and basically any other spice you might find in a Garam Masala.
Hottest Pepper in the World
Currently, the official hottest pepper in the world is the Carolina Reaper which ranges at 1,200,000-2,010,000 SHU. The breeder of the notorious Carolina Reaper, Ed Currie, is currently breeding a new strain of the Carolina Reaper called "Pepper X" which has unofficially tested at an unimaginable 3,180,000 SHU, nearly twice that of a regular Carolina Reaper. A Welsh breeder named Mike Smith recently came to fame with his Dragon's Breath pepper which tested at an blistering 2,480,000 SHU.
