WHAT'S "HOT" ?
Peppers in all of their various forms are native to the Americas, and in Central America were a staple crop of the Nahuatl peoples, the Aztecs. Their variety was a green pepper that they called “chilli”, and it was this “chilli” that was brought back to Europe by the Spaniards in the 16 th century.

All chiles belong to the genus Capsicum , and it is from this word that the oil that makes chiles hot, Capsaicin, is derived. The higher the amount of capsaicin oil in a pepper the hotter it is. While the seeds of chiles are hot, it is the oil in the veins that the seeds are attached to that is the hottest. This oil stimulates the nerve endings in the mouth sending pain signals to the brain. The brain reacts by releasing endorphins, naturally occurring chemicals very similar to morphine, to combat the pain. This is where the fanatical “Chile Heads” get their “chile high” from as they try hotter and hotter varieties.

In 1912, pharmacist Wilbur Scoville devised the “Scoville Organoleptic Test” to determine levels of heat in peppers. These levels were designated 0 to 10, and measured in “Scoville Units” with 10 being the hottest at 300,000 units or more. He devised the scale by diluting capsaicin in a solution of alcohol and sugar water, and it was administered to the always available “college students who needed money so they participated in the experiment” group. The maximum dilution at which 3 out of 5 people can taste some hotness became the Scoville Unit. For example, a dilution at a ratio of 1 part oil from a Serrano pepper to 10,000 parts solution, 3 out of 5 people can sense heat. Other methods and scales have been developed since but this is still considered the overall standard.

If fighting off a flaming pepper mouth, do not go for water or alcohol to put out the fire. They will do nothing or only help to spread the pain around some more. As previously mentioned capsaicin is an oil so go for dairy products like milk, cheese, ice cream or yoghurt as their fats will dissolve the capsaicin oil and help remove it from the burning mouth surfaces. And always remember: When working with hot chiles, NEVER touch your eyes or any other tender parts of your body without first thoroughly washing your hands with hot soapy water. If you forget once.you will never forget again! 

The Scoville Heat Scale 

Pure capsaicin oil measures in at
an atomic 16,000,000 Scoville Units!

Representative Sample Chiles

Remember all chiles can vary in hotness depending on the cultural conditions they were raised in such as soil, amount of rainfall, hours of sunshine etc. Because of this, a Jalapeño which is on average considered a “4” (2,500 – 5,000 Scoville Units), it is always possible to get one that is milder or hotter. Here are some “marker” chiles:

• Rating
• 0 – Bell Pepper, Sweet Banana, Sweet Italian, Pimento
• 1 – Mexi-Bells, Cherry Pepper, New Mexico , Anaheim , Big Jim, Pepperoncini
• 2 – Pasilla, Española, Poblano, Ancho
• 3 – Cascabel, Rocotillo, Sandia
• 4 – Jalapeño, Mirasol, Chipotle, Guajillo, Toritos
• 5 – Yellow Wax, Serrano
• 6 – Chile de Arbol
• 7 – Aji, Cayenne , Tabasco , Pequin
• 8 – Santaka, Chiltepin, Thai
• 9 – Scotch Bonnet, Habanero
• 10 – Red Savina Habanero, Indian Tezpur

New chile varieties are blasting the charts – the Red Savina at 577,000 Scoville Units, and the Tezpur at 855,000 Scoville Units are currently believed to be the hottest peppers on the planet!