How Hot Is Your Pepper? Scoville Chart Reveals the Shocking Truth Behind Every Spice!

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:25:15 +0000

How Hot Is Your Pepper? Scoville Chart Reveals the Shocking Truth Behind Every Spice Ever pick a pepper and wonder just how hot it really is? Whether you’re a chili con.query size or a mild salsa enthusiast, understanding pepper Scoville heat units is your gateway to measuring spice with precision. The Scoville Heat Scale isn’t just a number—it’s your compass for culinary courage. ### What Is the Scoville Scale? Developed in the early 1900s by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, the Scoville scale measures the concentration of capsaicin—the compound responsible for the burning sensation in spicy peppers. Using a standardized “Scoville Organoleptic Test,” trained panels taste concentrated pepper extracts diluted with sugar water until the heat is no longer perceived. The result? A number in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) that tells you exactly how spicy your pepper is.