The Scoville Scale
The Scoville scale measures the pungency (spiciness) of chili peppers in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Created by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912, it remains the standard way to compare pepper heat levels.
Bell Pepper: 0 SHU Jalapeño: 2,500-8,000 SHU Habanero: 100K-350K SHU Carolina Reaper: 1.6M-2.2M SHU
Heat Chart 49 peppers
Fooled You Jalapeño
0-500 SHU
Bell Pepper
0-0 SHU
Coolapeño
100-500 SHU
Anaheim
500-2,500 SHU
TAM Veracruz Jalapeño
500-1,500 SHU
Poblano
1,000-2,000 SHU
NuMex Jalmundo
1,000-4,000 SHU
TAM Jalapeño
1,000-3,500 SHU
Jaloro Jalapeño
1,500-4,500 SHU
Señorita Jalapeño
1,500-5,000 SHU
Jalapeño Popper Hybrid
2,000-5,000 SHU
Lemon Spice Jalapeño
2,000-5,000 SHU
Jalapeño Gigante
2,000-6,000 SHU
Early Jalapeño
2,000-6,000 SHU
Fresno Pepper
2,500-10,000 SHU
Classic Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Purple Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Jalapeño M
2,500-8,000 SHU
Chipotle (Smoked Jalapeño)
2,500-8,000 SHU
El Jefe Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Gigantia Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Craig's Grande Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Mammoth Jalapeño
2,500-8,000 SHU
Traveler's Jalapeño
2,500-6,000 SHU
Orange Jalapeño
2,500-6,000 SHU
Jalapeño Brown
2,500-6,500 SHU
Rayado Jalapeño
2,500-6,000 SHU
NuMex Piñata
3,000-8,000 SHU
Huasteco Jalapeño
3,000-7,000 SHU
Señor Jalapeño
3,000-7,000 SHU
NuMex Piñata Jalapeño
3,000-5,000 SHU
Conchos Jalapeño
3,000-8,000 SHU
NuMex Primavera
3,000-7,000 SHU
Delicias Jalapeño
3,500-7,500 SHU
Jalapa Jalapeño
3,500-7,000 SHU
Mucho Nacho
4,000-10,000 SHU
Mucho Nacho Jalapeño
4,000-6,000 SHU
Zapotec Jalapeño
4,000-8,000 SHU
NuMex Vaquero
4,000-9,000 SHU
Espinalteco Jalapeño
4,000-9,000 SHU
Mitla Jalapeño
5,000-12,000 SHU
Jalafuego
5,000-12,000 SHU
Biker Billy Jalapeño
5,000-10,000 SHU
Serrano
10,000-23,000 SHU
Cayenne
30,000-50,000 SHU
Thai Chili
50,000-100,000 SHU
Habanero
100,000-350,000 SHU
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
855,000-1,041,427 SHU
About the Scoville Scale
What is the Scoville scale?
The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency (spiciness) of chili peppers, recorded in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). It was created by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. The scale measures the concentration of capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for the spicy sensation.
How is SHU measured?
Originally, Scoville Heat Units were determined by the Scoville Organoleptic Test, where a pepper extract was diluted in sugar water until the heat was no longer detectable by a panel of tasters. Today, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is used for more accurate and objective measurement of capsaicin concentration.
What pepper has the highest Scoville rating?
Pepper X currently holds the Guinness World Record at 2,693,000 SHU, surpassing the Carolina Reaper which measures around 1,640,000-2,200,000 SHU. However, new superhot varieties are constantly being developed by competitive growers.
How hot is a jalapeño on the Scoville scale?
Jalapeño peppers typically range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), placing them in the mild-to-medium category. For comparison, a bell pepper is 0 SHU and a habanero is 100,000-350,000 SHU.
Does cooking reduce Scoville heat?
Cooking does not significantly reduce the capsaicin content of peppers, so the Scoville rating stays roughly the same. However, distributing peppers throughout a dish dilutes the perceived heat. Removing seeds and membranes (where most capsaicin is concentrated) before cooking will reduce the overall spiciness.