Heat Scale Updated

Heat Scale Updated
by Dave DeWitt
In 1989, with the help of Dr. Ben Villalon of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, and Dr. Paul W. Bosland of New Mexico State University's Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, I compiled and published the first chile heat scale in Chile Pepper magazine. The heat scale proved to be enormously popular and was reprinted (sometimes with credit!) in hundreds of newspapers, magazines, books, Web sites, and catalogs. Recently, I completed The Pepper Encyclopedia, which will be published by William Morrow & Co. this year. For that project I decided to update the chile heat scale to include more varieties and commercial products. Despite the accuracy of HPLC testing, we should remember, as Dr. Villalon points out, "Capsaicin can and is quantitatively measured by high performance liquid chromatography, to exactness for that particular pod, that particular plant, that particular location, and that particular season only." Thus, chiles will often deviate from published heat levels because of local environmental conditions. As there are many factors affecting the pungency of any variety, and there are many varieties within the various species and pod types, the measurements listed below are necessarily approximate.

Fiery Foods Official Heat Scale

Scoville Units

Chile Varieties and Commercial Products

100,000-500,000

Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, South American chinenses, African birdseye

50,000-100,000

Santaka, Chiltepin, Rocoto, Chinese kwangsi

30,000-50,000

Piquin, Cayenne Long, Tabasco, Thai prik khee nu, Pakistan dundicut

15,000-30,000

de Arbol; crushed red pepper; habanero hot sauce

5,000-15,000

Early Jalapeño, Aj Amarillo, Serrano; Tabasco ® Sauce

2,500-5,000

TAM Mild Jalapeño, Mirasol; Cayenne Large Red Thick; Louisiana hot sauce

1,500-2,500

Sandia, Cascabel, Yellow Wax Hot

1,000-1,500

Ancho, Pasilla, Española Improved; Old Bay Seasoning

500-1000

NuMex Big Jim, NuMex 6-4, chili powder

100-500

NuMex R-Naky, Mexi-Bell, Cherry; canned green chiles, Hungarian hot paprika

10-100

Pickled pepperoncini

0

Mild Bells, Pimiento, Sweet Banana, U.S. paprika

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Scoville Units	Chile Varieties and Commercial Products
100,000-500,000	Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, South American chinenses, African birdseye
50,000-100,000	Santaka, Chiltepin, Rocoto, Chinese kwangsi
30,000-50,000	Piquin, Cayenne Long, Tabasco, Thai prik khee nu, Pakistan dundicut
15,000-30,000	de Arbol; crushed red pepper; habanero hot sauce
5,000-15,000	Early Jalapeño, Aj Amarillo, Serrano; Tabasco ® Sauce
2,500-5,000	TAM Mild Jalapeño, Mirasol; Cayenne Large Red Thick; Louisiana hot sauce
1,500-2,500	Sandia, Cascabel, Yellow Wax Hot
1,000-1,500	Ancho, Pasilla, Española Improved; Old Bay Seasoning
500-1000	NuMex Big Jim, NuMex 6-4, chili powder
100-500	NuMex R-Naky, Mexi-Bell, Cherry; canned green chiles, Hungarian hot paprika
10-100	Pickled pepperoncini
0	Mild Bells, Pimiento, Sweet Banana, U.S. paprika