The Scoville scale is the gold standard for measuring chili pepper heat, offering a way to quantify the spiciness of peppers, from the mild bell pepper to the record-breaking Carolina Reaper. Understanding this scale enhances culinary exploration by allowing spice enthusiasts to better gauge their heat tolerance and make informed choices when selecting peppers that suit their taste and cooking needs.

Scoville Ratings of Chili Peppers: A Comprehensive Overview

The Scoville scale categorizes chili peppers by their heat levels, spanning a spectrum from mild varieties to some of the world’s hottest. Below is a detailed list of chili peppers, including both popular and uncommon varieties, organized by their Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

1. Mild Chilies (0 – 1,000 SHU)

Description: These chilies provide a subtle, almost sweet heat or no heat at all. Perfect for adding flavor without overwhelming spice, they are commonly used in salads, pickling, and mild sauces. Examples include bell peppers and banana peppers.

Chili Pepper Name and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) rating

• Ancho Chile Pepper (1,000 – 2,500 SHU)
• Banana Pepper (0 – 500 SHU)
• Beaver Dam Pepper (500 – 1,000 SHU)
• Bell Pepper (0 SHU)
• Corno di Toro Pepper (0 – 500 SHU)
• Italian Long Hots (100 – 1,000 SHU)
• Italian Pepperoncini (0 – 500 SHU)
• Italian Sweet Pepper (0 – 100 SHU)
• Lombardo (0 – 500 SHU)
• NuMex Conquistador (500 – 1,000 SHU)
• NuMex Joe E. Parker (500 – 1,000 SHU)
• NuMex Sunrise (500 – 1,000 SHU)
• Pepperoncini (100 – 500 SHU)
• Pimento (Pimiento) (0 – 500 SHU)
• Santa Fe Grande (500 – 750 SHU)
• Shishito (50 – 200 SHU)

2. Mild to Medium Chilies (over 1,000 – 15,000 SHU)

Description: These chilies bring a gentle warmth, making them ideal for salsas, mild curries, and roasted dishes. They offer a step up in heat while remaining accessible to most palates. Examples include Anaheim peppers and jalapeños.

Chili Pepper Name and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) rating

• Aleppo Pepper (10,000–25,000 SHU)
• Anaheim Pepper (500 – 2,500 SHU)
• Ancho Chile Pepper (1,000 – 2,500 SHU)
• Cascabel Pepper (~3,000 SHU)
• Cherry Pepper (1,000 – 5,000 SHU)
• Chilaca Pepper (1,000 – 2,500 SHU)
• Fresno Pepper (2,500 – 10,000 SHU)
• Guajillo Pepper (2,500 – 5,000 SHU)
• Hungarian Wax Pepper (1,000 – 15,000 SHU)
• Jalapeño Pepper (2,500 – 8,000 SHU)
• Mirasol Pepper (2,500 – 5,000 SHU)
• Padrón Pepper (500 – 2,500 SHU)
• Paprika Peppers (250 – 1,000 SHU)
• Piquillo Pepper (500 – 1,000 SHU)
• Poblano Pepper (1,000 – 2,000 SHU)

3. Medium to Hot Chilies (over 15,000 – 100,000 SHU)

Description: These peppers deliver a noticeable kick of heat without overwhelming the senses. They are commonly used in spicier salsas, hot sauces, and stir-fries. Examples include serrano peppers and cayenne.

Chili Pepper Name and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) rating

• Bird’s Eye Chili (50,000 – 100,000 SHU)
• Cayenne Pepper (30,000 – 50,000 SHU)
• Chile de Árbol (15,000 – 30,000 SHU)
• Chiltepín Pepper (50,000 – 100,000 SHU)
• Malagueta Pepper (60,000 – 100,000 SHU)
• Pequin Pepper (30,000 – 60,000 SHU)
• Santaka Pepper (40,000 – 50,000 SHU)
• Serrano Pepper (10,000 – 23,000 SHU)
• Super Chili (40,000 – 50,000 SHU)
• Tabasco Pepper (30,000 – 50,000 SHU)
• Thai Pepper (50,000 – 100,000 SHU)

4. Hot Chilies (over 100,000 – 350,000 SHU)

Description: These chilies pack significant heat and are suited for dishes requiring bold spice. They are often used in hot sauces and spicy marinades. Examples include habanero and Scotch bonnet peppers.

Chili Pepper Name and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) rating

• Adjuma (100,000 – 500,000 SHU)
• Dalle Khursani (100,000 – 350,000 SHU)
• Devil’s Tongue (125,000 – 325,000 SHU)
• Fatalii (125,000 – 325,000 SHU)
• Habanero Pepper (100,000 – 350,000 SHU)
• Madame Jeanette (100,000 – 350,000 SHU)
• Mustard Habanero (100,000 – 300,000 SHU)
• Orange Habanero (100,000 – 350,000 SHU)
• Scotch Bonnet (100,000 – 350,000 SHU)

5. Very Hot Chilies (over 350,000 – 800,000 SHU)

Chili Pepper Name and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) rating

Description: These chilies deliver an intense and fiery heat that goes beyond what most people can comfortably handle. They are commonly used in extra-hot sauces, spicy condiments, and dishes that cater to true heat enthusiasts. These peppers are a step below the superhots but still pack a serious punch. Examples include Red Savina Habanero and Chocolate Habanero.

• 7 Pot Jonah (600,000 – 800,000 SHU)
• Chocolate Habanero (Congo Black Habanero) (425,000–577,000 SHU)
• Habanaga (500,000 – 800,000 SHU)
• Nagabon (750,000 – 800,000 SHU)
• Red Savina Habanero (200,000 – 580,000 SHU)
• Yellow 7 Pot (700,000 – 1,000,000 SHU)

6. Superhot Chilies (over 800,000+ SHU)

Description: These are some of the world’s hottest peppers, delivering intense heat that can overwhelm unprepared palates. Often used sparingly in extreme hot sauces or for culinary challenges. Examples include Carolina Reaper and Trinidad Moruga Scorpion.

Chili Pepper Name and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) rating

• 7 Pot Barrackpore (1,000,000 – 1,300,000 SHU)
• 7 Pot Brown (800,000 – 1,000,000 SHU)
• 7 Pot Douglah (1,500,000 – 1,850,000 SHU)
• 7 Pot Red (1,000,000 – 1,200,000 SHU)
• 7 Pot Yellow (800,000 – 1,000,000 SHU)
• Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper) (855,000 – 1,041,427 SHU)
• Carolina Reaper (1,500,000 – 2,200,000 SHU)
• Dragon’s Breath Chili (2,480,000 SHU)
• Infinity Chili (1,067,286 SHU)
• Komodo Dragon (1,400,000 – 2,200,000 SHU)
• Naga Morich (1,000,000 – 1,500,000 SHU)
• Naga Viper (1,382,118 SHU)
• Pepper X (2,693,000 SHU)
• Trinidad Moruga Scorpion (1,200,000 – 2,000,000 SHU)
• Trinidad Scorpion Butch (T 1,463,700 SHU)

The Carolina Reaper with a Scoville rating of 1.5 to over 2.2 million SHU, once held the record as the world’s hottest chili. This fiery chili combines extreme heat with a hint of sweetness.

Introduction to the Scoville Scale and Testing Methods

First introduced in 1912 by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, the Scoville scale has become the benchmark for evaluating the heat of chili peppers. Originally created to quantify the pungency of peppers, which were gaining popularity for medicinal and culinary use, the scale assigns Scoville Heat Units (SHU) based on the concentration of capsaicinoids—the compounds responsible for chili peppers’ fiery heat.

Scoville’s method, known as the Organoleptic Test, was a relatively simple but subjective method that involved creating an alcohol extract of the dried chili pepper, which was then diluted in a solution of sugar water. This diluted solution was given to a panel of five trained testers, who would sip the mixture and report whether they could detect any heat. The solution was repeatedly diluted until at least three out of the five testers could no longer perceive any heat. The degree of dilution required to reach this point determined the Scoville Heat Units (SHU) of the pepper. For example, if a pepper’s extract had to be diluted 10,000 times before the heat was no longer detectable, the pepper would be assigned a Scoville rating of 10,000 SHU.

While groundbreaking for its time, the test was subjective and influenced by individual tolerance levels. Modern advancements, such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), have replaced this method, offering precise and reproducible measurements by directly quantifying capsaicinoids. These results are converted into SHU, ensuring consistency and accuracy in food production and research.

The Scoville scale is more than a measure of heat; it’s an essential tool for chefs, food enthusiasts, and industries alike. It helps in selecting peppers for culinary purposes, ensuring consistent spice levels in recipes, and even standardizing capsaicin-based pharmaceutical products.

Understanding Capsaicin: The Source of Heat

The Chemical Nature of Capsaicin

Capsaicin (chemical formula, C₁₈H₂₇NO₃) is the compound responsible for the heat of chili peppers, and belongs to a class of alkaloids called capsaicinoids, which are unique to the Capsicum genus. It’s a hydrophobic, colorless crystalline or waxy solid that’s insoluble in water but dissolves effectively in oils, alcohols, and other organic solvents, making these substances ideal for extracting or diluting its heat.

The sensation of heat produced by capsaicin is due to its interaction with the TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) receptors in the human body. These receptors, commonly referred to as “heat receptors,” are specialized proteins that detect physical heat, acidic conditions, and certain chemical stimuli. When capsaicin binds to these receptors, it triggers a sensation of burning pain by mimicking the effect of actual heat or injury—despite causing no physical damage. This mechanism explains the intense burning sensation in the mouth when consuming chili peppers.

Capsaicin’s Role in Plants

From an evolutionary perspective, capsaicin serves as a critical defense mechanism for chili plants. Its primary role is to deter herbivores, particularly mammals, from consuming the chili fruits, as the mammalian digestive system destroys the seeds. Mammals experience the intense burning caused by capsaicin and tend to avoid the peppers after an initial encounter.

By contrast, birds are unaffected by capsaicin due to the absence of functional TRPV1 receptors. This difference in sensitivity benefits chili plants, as chili seeds survive their journey through a bird’s digestive system, so birds can consume and disperse seeds intact over large distances, aiding in the plant’s propagation and spread.

• The irritant nature of capsaicin to mammals can be utilized to make an effective homemade DIY rat and mouse deterrent – for more information see article: Spice Up Your Rodent Defense With Potent Chili Capsaicin-Based Repellent Sprays

In addition to deterring herbivores, capsaicin plays a protective role against microbial and fungal pathogens. Its antimicrobial properties help safeguard the fruit from decay and disease, ensuring the seeds remain viable for germination. This dual function—deterring mammals while protecting against pathogens—underscores the evolutionary significance of capsaicin in the survival and reproductive success of chili plants.

Medicinal and Therapeutic Uses of Capsaicin

Capsaicin has also been extensively studied for its analgesic (pain relief) properties, and is used in topical creams and patches designed to relieve pain from conditions such as arthritis, neuropathy, and muscle strains. These products typically contain capsaicin concentrations that correlate with a specific level on the Scoville scale, indicating the potential efficacy of the treatment.

Capsaicin works by interacting once again with the TRPV1 receptors in the skin, the same receptors responsible for sensing heat and pain. When applied topically, capsaicin initially causes a burning sensation, followed by a reduction in pain intensity as the nerve cells become desensitized. This desensitization occurs because capsaicin depletes the neurotransmitter substance P, which is responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain.

In summary, the Scoville scale provides a clear way to navigate and choose from the wide range of chili peppers, from mild and flavorful to intensely hot. Chili peppers not only enhance dishes with their heat and flavor but also play important roles in medicine and science through the unique properties of capsaicin. Understanding their heat levels allows us to fully appreciate their versatility and value.