How hot is hot?

The pungency or heat of a pepper depends on seven closely related alkaloids or capsaicinoids. In the early 1900s, Wilbur L. Scoville devised a test to determine the relative hotness of different peppers. 

Capsaicin from a known weight of pepper was extracted with alcohol and mixed in various concentrations with sweetened water. Human tasters were asked to identify the point at which water neutralized the hotness. 

The volume of water required for each sample was assigned a rating in Scoville units—the larger the number, the more water needed and the hotter the pepper. A high-pressure liquid chromatography test replaced this technique in the early 1980s, but the measurements are still expressed in Scoville units. 

The following peppers are listed from most hot to least hot, according to Scoville units.

Habanero

• Caribbean Red_______________________100,000–445,000
• Red _______________________________80,000–285,000
• Scotch Bonnet________________________80,000–260,000

Jamaican Hot_________________________100,000–200,000

Chiltepini______________________________50,000–100,000

Santaka

Thai

Cayenne_______________________________50,000–70,000

Charleston Hot

Piquin_________________________________30,000–50,000

Aji

Cayenne

Tabasco

Thai Dragon____________________________35,000–45,000

De Arbol_______________________________15,000–30,000

Serrano_________________________________5,000–23,000

Yellow Wax______________________________5,000–15,000

Jalapeño_________________________________2,500–5,000

Mirasol

Cascabel_________________________________1,500–2,500

Rocotillo

Sandia

Ancho___________________________________1,000–1,500

Chilaca

Espanola

Pasilla

Poblano

Anaheim___________________________________500-1,000

Big Jim

New Mexico

Cherry______________________________________100–500

Mexi-Bell

Peperoncini

Bell________________________________________________ 0

False Alarm

Pimento

Sweet Banana

Sweet Italian