To understand what a Scoville Unit is, one must understand what they measure. All hot peppers contain capsaicinoids, natural substances that produce a burning sensation in the mouth, causing the eyes to water and the nose to run, and even induce perspiration. The primary capsaicinoid, capsaicin, is so hot that a single drop diluted in 100,000 drops of water will produce a blistering of the tongue.
Capsaicinoids are found primarily in the pepper's placenta ? the white "ribs" that run down the middle and along the sides of a pepper. Since the seeds are in such close contact with the ribs, they are also often hot.
Capsaicinoid content is measured in parts per million. These parts per million are converted into Scoville Heat Units (SHU), one part per million is equivalent to 15 Scoville Units. The Scoville Unit is derived from a series of tests using a solution of water and sugar. The dilutions are increased until the chile no longer burns the mouth. Take for example, Blair's After Death Sauce which has been measured at 50,000 Scoville Units. To dilute the heat in one bottle of Blair's After Death, you would need over 3,000 units of water to dilute the heat to the point where the average human tongue could no longer feel it.
The hotter the chile of the sauce, the greater the amount of water required to dilute it becomes. The Scoville Organoleptic Test is still used, however it has mostly been replaced by a process called high performance liquid chromatography. This process converts measurements of capsaicin from the standard parts per million to the more popular Scoville Units.
Surprisingly, the bell pepper is used as a baseline for the Scoville Unit rating. The bell pepper essentially has a rating of zero Scoville Units, thus it acts as the lowest level of heat on the Scoville scale.
On the other end of the scale is the Habanero pepper. At over 300,000 Scoville Units, the Habanero certainly sets the limit as the hottest pepper. The "Red Savina," the hottest strain of the Habanero, has been measured as around 577,000 Scoville Units. Pure capsaicin stacks up at 16 million Scoville Units!!!
Who is Wilbur Scoville?
A brief timeline of the man behind the heat scale
To chileheads and hot sauce lovers, he is the man behind the heat scale. Wilbur Scoville was born in 1865. In 1912 while working for the Parke Davis pharmaceutical company he developed the Scoville Organoleptic Test. In 1922, Scoville won the Ebert prize from the American Pharmaceutical Association and in 1929 he received the Remington Honor Medal. Scoville also received an honorary Doctor of Science from Columbia University.
Scoville wrote The Art of Compounding which was first published in 1895 and has gone through at least 8 editions. The book was used as a pharmacological reference until the 1960's. Scoville also wrote Extract & Perfumes which contained hundreds of formulations -- after all Scoville had a knack for compounding. Scoville died in 1942 but his name will forever go on with the Scoville Heat Unit and in the lives of chili lovers everywhere.
About The Author
I own and operate http://www.sweatnspice.com. We're a growing company that specializes in hard to find hot sauces and fiery foods.
Are you wondering if you have the time to bake... Read More
Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to... Read More
Baking cookies seem to fill the house with a sense... Read More
Hiking, camping, and boating are good activities for active people... Read More
Bread machines-wonderful inventions that they are-don't think very well. You... Read More
Microwave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They... Read More
In the previous article, we suggested that you start a... Read More
Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, I still see... Read More
A long hard day at work. You get home and... Read More
With the holidays on their way soon, many people will... Read More
Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes... Read More
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook a delicious... Read More
As a busy working mother, I'm short on time, especially... Read More
"Thicken", or "Thickening" is a very common technique used in... Read More
Most grocery stores carry cans of whipping cream ready to... Read More
Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More
It depends. The best way to tell if the dough... Read More
The secret-at least most of it-is in the rise. The... Read More
"Can I freeze it?" is a question often asked in... Read More
Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and... Read More
It wouldn't be summer without fresh mint in pots on... Read More
A lot of the times we mean to get in... Read More
Have you ever wondered how to cut a cake? I... Read More
Nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal... Read More
Perishable food must be kept cold while commuting via bus,... Read More
New and exciting varieties of peppercorns are becoming available to... Read More
As one of the oldest children in a family of... Read More
What should you do if you are in the middle... Read More
To get the svelte figure, start in the kitchen. Slimming... Read More
BBQ smoke is one of the easiest ways to add... Read More
Successful cake decorating is all about preparation. Baking and preparing... Read More
Would you like to lose some weight -- in your... Read More
High altitude baking can be a real adventure for the... Read More
There's a lot of bread in our freezer. In our... Read More
The great English cook Prue Leith once famously remarked "life's... Read More
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More
School's out! And summer is a good time to introduce... Read More
It depends. The best way to tell if the dough... Read More
How many of you remember dad trying to get the... Read More
With the holidays on their way soon, many people will... Read More
As moms, we have hectic lives. Whether we work out... Read More
Nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal... Read More
In may just be in human nature to barbecue. Well,... Read More
BBQ smoke is one of the easiest ways to add... Read More
Non-stick woks do not require seasoning, and come with simple... Read More
While each country might have its own preferred style, "American... Read More
Many bakers ask for tips and instructions on decorating cookies.... Read More
Flowers as a Cake Decoration, unique and easy to place... Read More
Summertime--and the living is easy! But the kitchen is hot!!... Read More
It wouldn't be summer without fresh mint in pots on... Read More
Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More
Soups and sauces can be thickened in a variety of... Read More
The Cooker-rail....This is a novel way of increasing the drying... Read More
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More
Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to... Read More
Bread dough needs to be elastic in order to capture... Read More
Seasoning is the most important thing you can do to... Read More
Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and... Read More
Ever been to a barbecue party where the 'chef' placed... Read More
Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice... Read More
Let's face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even us... Read More
Pioneer CookingWhen you think of a cast iron Dutch oven,... Read More
Put on your apron! It's time to stir up a... Read More
In nature all animals eat living foods as yielded up... Read More
"Thicken", or "Thickening" is a very common technique used in... Read More
What would you eat if you were stranded without power?... Read More
Cooking Tips |