Scoville scale explained

The Scoville scale is a measurement of pungency (spiciness or "heat") of chili peppers and other substances, recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU). It is based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component.[1]

The scale is named after its creator, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, whose 1912 method is known as the Scoville organoleptic test.[1] [2] The Scoville organoleptic test is a subjective assessment derived from the capsaicinoid sensitivity by people experienced with eating hot chilis.

An alternative method, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), can be used to analytically quantify the capsaicinoid content as an indicator of pungency.[3]

Scoville organoleptic test

In the Scoville organoleptic test, an exact weight of dried pepper is dissolved in alcohol to extract the heat components (capsaicinoids), then diluted in a solution of sugar water.[1] [4] Decreasing concentrations of the extracted capsaicinoids are given to a panel of five trained tasters, until a majority (at least three) can no longer detect the heat in a dilution.[1] [4] The heat level is based on this dilution, rated in multiples of 100 SHU.[4]

Another source using subjective assessment stated, "Conventional methods used in determining the level of pungency or capsaicin concentration are using a panel of tasters (Scoville organoleptic test method). ... Pepper pungency is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU). This measurement is the highest dilution of a chili pepper extract at which heat can be detected by a taste panel."[5] [6] [7]

A weakness of the Scoville organoleptic test is its imprecision due to human subjectivity, depending on the taster's palate and number of mouth heat receptors, which vary widely among subjects. Another shortcoming is sensory fatigue; the palate is quickly desensitized to capsaicinoids after tasting a few samples within a short time period.[4] Results vary widely (up to ± 50%) between laboratories.[8]

Quantification by HPLC

Since the 1980s, spice heat has been assessed quantitatively by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which measures the concentration of heat-producing capsaicinoids, typically with capsaicin content as the main measure.[5] As stated in one review "the most reliable, rapid, and efficient method to identify and quantify capsaicinoids is HPLC; the results of which can be converted to Scoville heat units by multiplying the parts-per-million by 16."

HPLC method gives results in American Spice Trade Association 1985 "pungency units", which are defined as one part capsaicin equivalent per million parts dried pepper mass. This "parts per million of heat" (ppmH) is found with the following calculation: \text = \frac

Peak areas are calculated from HPLC traces of dry samples of the substance to be tested in 1 ml of acetonitrile. The standard used to calibrate the calculation is 1 gram of capsaicin. Scoville heat units are found by multiplying the ppmH value by a factor of 15. By this definition of ppmH, spicy compounds other than the two most important capsaicinoids are ignored, despite the ability of HPLC to measure these other compounds at the same time.

Scoville ratings

Considerations

Since Scoville ratings are defined per unit of dry mass, comparison of ratings between products having different water content can be misleading. For example, typical fresh chili peppers have a water content around 90%, whereas Tabasco sauce has a water content of 95%.[9] For law-enforcement-grade pepper spray, values from 500,000 up to 5 million SHU have been reported,[10] but the actual strength of the spray depends on the dilution.[1] This problem can be overcome by stating the water content along with the Scoville value. One way to do so is the "D-value", defined as total mass divided by dry mass.[11]

Numerical results for any specimen vary depending on its cultivation conditions and the uncertainty of the laboratory methods used to assess the capsaicinoid content. Pungency values for any pepper are variable, owing to expected variation within a species, possibly by a factor of 10 or more, depending on seed lineage, climate and humidity, and soil composition supplying nutrients. The inaccuracies described in the measurement methods also contribute to the imprecision of these values.[8]

Capsicum peppers

Capsicum chili peppers are commonly used to add pungency in cuisines worldwide.[1] [6] The range of pepper heat reflected by a Scoville score is from 500 or less (sweet peppers) to over 2.6 million (Pepper X) (table below; Scoville scales for individual chili peppers are in the respective linked article). Some peppers such as the Guntur chilli and Rocoto are excluded from the list due to their very wide SHU range. Others such as Dragon's Breath and Chocolate 7-pot have not been officially verified.[12] [13]

Scoville heat units Examples
2,693,000 Pepper X[14]
1,500,000–2,500,000 Carolina Reaper[15] [16]
750,000–1,500,000 Trinidad Moruga Scorpion,[17] Naga Viper pepper,[18] Infinity chili,[19] Ghost pepper[20]
350,000–750,000 Red savina habanero[21]
100,000–350,000 Habanero chili,[22] Scotch bonnet pepper
50,000–100,000 Bird's eye chili (Thai chili pepper),[23] Malagueta pepper
25,000–50,000 Tabasco pepper,[24] Cayenne pepper[25]
10,000–25,000 Serrano pepper,[26] Aleppo pepper,[27] Cheongyang chili pepper[28]
2,500–10,000 Jalapeño pepper,[29] Guajillo chili[30]
1,000–2,500 Poblano pepper[31] [32]
500–1,000 Cubanelle, Beaver Dam pepper[33]
0–500 Pimiento[34]
0 Bell pepper, Peperone crusco[35]

The class of compounds causing pungency in plants such as chili peppers is called capsaicinoids, which display a linear correlation between concentration and Scoville scale, and may vary in content during ripening.[36] Capsaicin is the major capsaicinoid in chili peppers.[5]

The Scoville scale may be used to express the pungency of other, unrelated TRPV1 agonists, sometimes with extrapolation for much hotter compounds. One such substance is resiniferatoxin, an alkaloid present in the sap of some species of euphorbia plants (spurges). Since it is 1000 times as hot as capsaicin, it would have a Scoville scale rating of 16 billion.[37] In the table below, non-capsaicinoid compounds are italicized.

Scoville heat unitsChemicalRef.
16,000,000,000Resiniferatoxin[38]
5,300,000,000Tinyatoxin[39]
16,000,000Capsaicin[40] [41]
15,000,000Dihydrocapsaicin
9,200,000Nonivamide
9,100,000Nordihydrocapsaicin
8,600,000Homocapsaicin, Homodihydrocapsaicin
160,000Shogaol[42]
150,000Piperine[43]
60,000Gingerol

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Twilight Greenaway. How Hot is That Pepper? How Scientists Measure Spiciness. Smithsonian.com, US Smithsonian Institution. 17 December 2017. 10 January 2013.
  2. Scoville. Wilbur. Note on Capsicums. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. May 1912. 1. 5. 453–454 . 10.1002/jps.3080010520.
  3. Al Othman. Zeid Abdullah. 2011. Determination of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin in Capsicum Fruit Samples using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Molecules. 16. 10. 8920. 10.3390/molecules16108919. 22024959. 6264681. free.
  4. Book: Peter, K. V.. Handbook of Herbs and Spices. 2012. Elsevier Science . 978-0-85709-5671. 127.
  5. Collins MD, Wasmund LM, Bosland PW . 1995 . Improved method for quantifying capsaicinoids in Capsicum using high-performance liquid chromatography . HortScience . 30 . 1 . 137–139 . 10.21273/HORTSCI.30.1.137 . free .
  6. 28662907. 2017. Guzmán. I. Sensory properties of chili pepper heat - and its importance to food quality and cultural preference. Appetite. 117. 186–190. Bosland. P. W. 10.1016/j.appet.2017.06.026. free.
  7. Stoica R, Moscovici M, Tomulescu C, Băbeanu N. Extraction and analytical methods of capsaicinoids - a review. Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies. 2016. XX. 93–140. 38430045. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811102358/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0b7b/b726c67c316530bc445cdea106c0ad167f6b.pdf. dead. 2018-08-11. 2285-1364.
  8. Book: Tainter, Donna R. . Anthony T. Grenis . 2001 . Spices and Seasonings . Wiley-IEEE . 978-0-471-35575-5 . 30. Interlab variation [for the original Scoville scale] could be as high as +/−50%. However, labs that run these procedures could generate reasonably repeatable results..
  9. USDA nutrient database for Peppers, jalapeño, raw (92% water content); Peppers, hot chile, red, raw (88% water content); Red Tabasco sauce (95%)
  10. Web site: Chemical hazards in law enforcement . The Police Policy Studies Council . 2009-02-09 . Most law enforcement sprays have a pungency of 500,000 to 2 million SHU. One brand has sprays with 5.3 million SHU..
  11. Web site: Let's Get Technical: The Limitations of the Scoville Scale . Josh's Jungle . 22 April 2017.
  12. Web site: Pepper X – Latest News and Information . Chili Pepper Madness. Mike Hultquist. 23 February 2018 . 21 January 2019.
  13. Web site: How the Chile Became Hot. Ligaya Mishan. The New York Times. August 18, 2022. September 1, 2022. Carolina Reaper, known to reach as many as 2.2 million S.H.U.s — more potent than some pepper sprays — and certified by Guinness World Records as the hottest chile on earth..
  14. Web site: Pepper X, Hottest chilli pepper . Guinness World Records Ltd. . 16 October 2023 . 2023.
  15. News: World's hottest pepper hits 2.2 million Scoville heat units. Hallock. Betty. December 26, 2013. Los Angeles Times.
  16. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20230128091737/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/hottest-chili/. January 28, 2023. Hottest chilli pepper (2017). Guinness World Records. October 16, 2023.
  17. News: Chile experts identify Trinidad Moruga Scorpion as world's hottest . The Daily Telegraph . UK. 2012-02-16.
  18. Web site: Dykes. Brett Michael . World's hottest pepper is 'hot enough to strip paint'. Yahoo! News. 3 December 2010 . 3 December 2010.
  19. News: Grantham's Infinity chilli named hottest in world . bbc.co.uk. BBC News . 2011-02-18.
  20. Web site: NMSU is home to the world's hottest chile pepper. nmsu.edu. . 2007-02-21 . 2007 . Shaline L. . Lopez . https://web.archive.org/web/20070219124128/http://www.nmsu.edu/~ucomm/Releases/2007/february/hottest_chile.htm . 2007-02-19 . live.
  21. Web site: World's hottest chile pepper discovered . bio-medicine.org . . 2008-03-31 . 2021-11-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115181838/http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-1/Worlds-hottest-chile-pepper-discovered-991-1/ . dead .
  22. Web site: Chile Pepper Heat Scoville Scale . . 2006-09-25 . 2012-02-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120226211137/http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blhotchiles.htm . dead .
  23. Web site: Roberts. Scott. Scoville Scale. Scott Roberts. 7 April 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20150319173228/http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/scoville-scale. 19 March 2015. Dardenne Prairie. en-us. dead.
  24. Book: Andrews . Jean . Peppers: the Domesticated Capsicums . 1995 . University of Texas Press . 9780292704671 . 58 . illustrated .
  25. Web site: Database of Chilli Pepper Varieties. The Chileman. November 9, 2017.
  26. Web site: Types of hot peppers. 19 May 2022 .
  27. Web site: Pepper Heat Ratings in Scoville Units . . 2010-10-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100227100927/http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyschilipeppers.html . 2010-02-27 . dead .
  28. News: Hot pepper town swept by heat wave. Crawford. Matthew C.. 5 September 2014. The Korea Herald. 9 January 2017.
  29. 24184818. 2013. González-Zamora. A. Characterization of different Capsicum varieties by evaluation of their capsaicinoids content by high performance liquid chromatography, determination of pungency and effect of high temperature. Molecules. 18. 11. 13471–86. Sierra-Campos. E. Luna-Ortega. J. G. Pérez-Morales. R. Rodríguez Ortiz. J. C. García-Hernández. J. L. 10.3390/molecules181113471. 6269802. free.
  30. Web site: Guajillo pepper: The sweet side of spice . Bray, Matt. 4 September 2018. 22 November 2014.
  31. Lillywhite. Jay M.. Jennifer E.. Simonsen. Mark E.. Uchanski. Spicy Pepper Consumption and Preferences in the United States. HortTechnology. 23. 6. 2013. 868–876. Any pepper type with ≥ 1 SHU could be considered spicy. However, for this study, paprika (0–300 SHU), New Mexico long green or red chile (300–500 SHU), and poblano/ancho (≈1369 SHU) types were included as mild spicy peppers (Table 1).. 10.21273/HORTTECH.23.6.868. free.
  32. Julius. David. Caterina. Michael J.. Schumacher. Mark A.. Tominaga. Makoto. Rosen. Tobias A.. Levine. Jon D.. Nature. 389. 6653. 1997. 816–824. 0028-0836. 10.1038/39807. Reported pungencies for pepper varieties (in Scoville units) are: Habanero (H), 100,000–300,000; Thai green (T), 50,000–100,000; wax (W), 5,000–10,000; and Poblano verde (P), 1,000–1,500 (ref. 23).. 9349813. The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway. 1997Natur.389..816C. 7970319. free.
  33. Web site: Beaver Dam Pepper: Northern Spice. 6 October 2015 . Pepperscale.com.
  34. Thomas R. Koballa . Lee Meadows . Elizabeth C. Doster . David F. Jackson. . Hot Peppers to Hurricanes: New Ways to Measure . Science Scope . 1995 . 19 . 2 . 39 . National Science Teachers Association. 43179500 .
  35. Web site: Peperone Di Senise: Basilicata's Sweet Treasure . 17 August 2019. 17 September 2020. pepperscale.com.
  36. 4606152. 2015. Nagy. Z. Determination of Polyphenols, Capsaicinoids, and Vitamin C in New Hybrids of Chili Peppers. Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry. 2015. 1–10. Daood. H. Ambrózy. Z. Helyes. L. 10.1155/2015/102125. 26495153. free.
  37. Book: Atala. Anthony. Debra . Slade . 2003. Bladder Disease. Washington, DC. National Bladder Foundation. 361.
  38. Book: Questions and Answers about Overactive Bladder. Ellsworth. Pamela. Wein. Alan J.. 2009. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 978-1449631130. 97–100.
  39. Premkumar. Louis S.. 2014-06-13. Transient Receptor Potential Channels as Targets for Phytochemicals. ACS Chemical Neuroscience. 5. 11. 1117–1130. 10.1021/cn500094a. 1948-7193. 4240255. 24926802.
  40. Govindarajan, Sathyanarayana. 1991. Capsicum — Production, Technology, Chemistry, and Quality. Part V. Impact on Physiology, Pharmacology, Nutrition, and Metabolism; Structure, Pungency, Pain, and Desensitization Sequences. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 29. 6. 435–474. 10.1080/10408399109527536. 2039598.
  41. O'Keefe. James H.. DiNicolantonio. James J.. McCarty. Mark F.. 2015-06-01. Capsaicin may have important potential for promoting vascular and metabolic health. Open Heart. en. 2. 1. e000262. 10.1136/openhrt-2015-000262. 26113985. 2053-3624. 4477151.
  42. Compton. Richard G.. Batchelor-McAuley. Christopher. Ngamchuea. Kamonwad. Chaisiwamongkhol. Korbua. 2016-10-31. Electrochemical detection and quantification of gingerol species in ginger (Zingiber officinale) using multiwalled carbon nanotube modified electrodes. Analyst. en. 141. 22. 6321–6328. 10.1039/C6AN02254E. 27774555. 1364-5528. 2016Ana...141.6321C. 40241982 .
  43. Book: Mangathayaru, K.. Pharmacognosy: An Indian perspective. 2013. Pearson Education India. 9789332520264. 274. en.

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