Understanding the Scoville Scale
The Scoville scale is the measurement system used to quantify the heat or spiciness of chilli peppers and other spicy foods. Developed by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912, this scale is determined by a panel of people tasting diluted samples with the human tongue, rather than using a chemical method and provides a numerical value that represents the concentration of capsaicin, the compound responsible for the burning sensation experienced when consuming spicy foods.
The Scoville scale ranges from 0 to over 16 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), with the lower end representing mild, sweet peppers and the higher end representing the most intensely fiery chilli peppers. The scale works by measuring the amount of capsaicin present in a specific pepper variety, with a higher SHU indicating a greater concentration of this compound.
Understanding the Scoville scale is crucial when exploring the world of chilli peppers, as it allows us to appreciate the nuances of spiciness and make informed choices about the level of heat we can handle. This knowledge can enhance our culinary and health experiences, whether we're experimenting with supplements, creating spicy condiments, or simply enjoying the thrill of a well-balanced, flavorful dish.
Nutraceuticals Group Europe supplies a range of the chilli powders and extracts, but are we too hot for you to handle?
Below we have the Scoville scale so you can see which ingredient suits you, your product and your customers.
Please read our blog on Capsaicin or contact our friendly and knowledgeable technical sales colleagues to help guide you to the best ingredients to allow you to achieve your desired flavour profile or check our hot items here.
| Approx Heat rating. (SHU, Scoville Heat Units) | Heat vs Pure Capsacin | Examples | Approx Pungency | Source | Product Item Code | Product Item Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16,000,000,000 | 100000% | Resiniferatoxin | Chemical | |||
| 5,300,000,000 | 33125% | Tinyatoxin | Chemical | |||
| 16,000,000 | 100% | Capsaicin Pure | Pure Capsaicin | Chemical | ||
| 15,000,000 | 94% | Dihydrocapsaicin | Chemical | |||
| 9,200,000 | 58% | Nonivamide | Chemical | |||
| 9,100,000 | 57% | Nordihydrocapsaicin | Chemical | |||
| 8,600,000 | 54% | Homocapsaicin, Homodihydrocapsaicin | Chemical | |||
| 2,200,000 | 14% | Carolina Reaper, Dragons Breath | Pepper | |||
| 2,009,999 | 13% | Trinidad Moruga Scorpion | Pepper | |||
| 2,000,000 | 13% | Pepper Spray | Extreme Heat | Chemical | ||
| 1,600,000 | 10% | Capsaicin 10% | Chemical | NIGEHER008215 | Capsicum Pepper Oleoresin 10% Capsaicin 60:1 1.6 Million SHU (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum) # | |
| 1,350,000 | 8% | Naga Viper | Pepper | |||
| 1,000,000 | 6% | Capsaicin 6.2% | Chemical | NIGEHER008211 | Capsicum Pepper Oleoresin 6.2% Capsaicin 40:1 1Million SHU (Chilli) (Capsicum annum) # | |
| 1,000,000 | 6% | Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) | Pepper | |||
| 800,000 | 5% | Capsaicin 5% | Chemical | |||
| 750,000 | 5% | Infinity Chilli, Bhut Jolokia chili pepper, Super Naga | Pepper | |||
| 500,000 | 3.10% | Red Savina habanero | Pepper | |||
| 400,000 | 2.50% | Capsaicin 2.5% | Chemical | |||
| 400,000 | 2.50% | Animal Repellant – Capsaicin 2.5% | Chemical | |||
| 350,000 | 2.20% | Chocolate habanero, Habanaga, Nagabon | Pepper | |||
| 200,000 | 1.30% | Habanero | Very High Heat | Pepper | ||
| 160,000 | 1.00% | Capsaicin 1% | Chemical | |||
| 160,000 | 1.00% | Shogaol | Chemical | |||
| 100,000 | 0.60% | Piperine | Chemical | NIGEHER006001 | Black Pepper Extract 95% Piperine (Piper nigrum) | |
| 100,000 | 0.60% | Habanero chili, Scotch bonnet, Datil, Rocoto, White Habanero, Jamaican hot pepper | Pepper | |||
| 80,000 | 0.50% | Capsaicin 0.5% | Chemical | NIGEHER009001 | Cayenne Capsicum Pepper Extract 0.5% Capsaicinoids (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) | |
| 75,000 | 0.50% | Red Amazon | Pepper | |||
| 75,000 | 0.50% | Pequin | Pepper | |||
| 70,000 | 0.40% | Chiltecepin | High Heat | Pepper | ||
| 60,000 | 0.40% | Gingerol | Chemical | |||
| 50,000 | 0.30% | Byadgi chilli, Bird’s eye chili (Thai Chili Pepper), Malagueta pepper, Chiltepin pepper, Piri piri | Pepper | |||
| 30,000 | 0.20% | Cayenne Pepper | Pepper | NIGEHER009301 | Cayenne Capsicum Pepper Powder (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) | |
| 30,000 | 0.20% | Tabasco Pepper | Pepper | |||
| 25,000 | 0.20% | Arbol | Pepper | |||
| 25,000 | 0.20% | Japone | Moderate | Pepper | ||
| 25,000 | 0.20% | Guntur chilli, Ají pepper, Cumari pepper (Capsicum Chinense), Katara (spicy), Arbol pepper | Pepper | |||
| 16,000 | 0.10% | Capsiate | Pepper | |||
| 10,000 | 0.06% | Smoked Jalepeno (Chipotle) | Pepper | |||
| 10,000 | 0.06% | Serrano pepper, Peter pepper, Aleppo pepper | Pepper | |||
| 7,000 | 0.04% | Puya | Pepper | |||
| 7,000 | 0.04% | Tabasco Sauce (Green Habanero) | Pepper | |||
| 5,000 | 0.03% | Guajillo | Pepper | |||
| 3,500 | 0.02% | Jalapeno pepper | Pepper | |||
| 3,000 | 0.02% | Poblano | Pepper | |||
| 2,500 | 0.02% | Tabasco Sauce (Red) | Pepper | |||
| 2,500 | 0.02% | Pasilla | Pepper | |||
| 2,500 | 0.02% | Espelette pepper, Chipotle, Guajillo pepper, Hungarian wax pepper, Bullet pepper | Pepper | |||
| 2,200 | 0.01% | Sriracha Sauce | Pepper | |||
| 2,000 | 0.01% | Tabasco Sauce (Chipotle) | Pepper | |||
| 1,000 | 0.01% | Mild Jalepeno | Mild | Pepper | ||
| 1,000 | 0.01% | Guindillas peppers | Pepper | |||
| 1,000 | 0.01% | New Mexican | Pepper | |||
| 1,000 | 0.01% | Ancho | Pepper | |||
| 1,000 | 0.01% | Anaheim pepper, Poblano pepper, Rocotillo pepper, Peppadew | Pepper | |||
| 450 | 0.00% | Frank’s Red Hot Sauce | Pepper | |||
| 100 | 0.00% | Pimento, Peperoncini, Banana pepper | Pepper | |||
| 0 | 0.00% | Bell pepper, Cubanelle, Aji dulce | No Heat | Pepper | NIGEHER008251 | Red Bell Pepper Powder (Capsicum annum) |
Toutes les informations sont exactes au mieux de nos connaissances et Nutraceuticals Group Europe décline toute responsabilité en cas d'erreurs. Des liens vers d'autres sources et documents de référence sont inclus pour plus d'exactitude. Des erreurs ou omissions ? Veuillez nous en informer via notre formulaire de contact.
| Item Code | Item Name |
|---|---|
| NIGEHER009001 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 0.5% Capsaicinoids (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009005 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 0.6% Capsaicinoids (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009010 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 1.0% Capsaicinoids (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009015 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 1.3% Capsaicinoids (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009080 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 4:1 (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009090 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 7:1 (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009101 | Cayenne Pepper Extract 8:1 (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009190 | Cayenne Pepper Powder 40K SHU (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) |
| NIGEHER009201 | Cayenne Pepper Powder 100K SHU (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) Heat Treated |
| NIGEHER009301HT | Cayenne Pepper Powder (Chilli) (Capsicum annuum Cayenne) Heat Treated |
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