It is currently the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, developed at an Australian company in April 2011 based on a fruit from Trinidad and Tobago. This kind of laboratory “improvement” is common: peppers are easy to grow, have abundant seeds, and crossing wild varieties creates hybrids that are even hotter than the originals. Scorpion scores 1.1 million on the Scoville scale, created by pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville to measure the pungency of peppers. This means that in order to lose its spicy flavor, it needs to be diluted 1.1 million times in water and sugar!
FALSE RELATIVE
Black pepper is not a pepper. These are native to the Americas, while the blackberry (Piper nigrum) is typical of India, made from the grain of a climbing plant.
READ MORE
– Why does pepper burn?
– Which fruits have the most vitamin C?
IN THE OTHERS IS REFRESHMENT
Current champions on the Scoville scale
1st Trinidad Scorpion, Butch T.
PUNCH: 1,107,000
It’s so strong that you have to wear gloves to handle it! It must be raw material for sauces and pepper gas.
2nd Bhut Jolokia
PUNCH: 1,001,000
Also known as ghost pepper. It is from the naga family, native to India and Bangladesh and cultivated for centuries.
3rd 7 Pot Barrackpore
PUNCH: 987,000
Another variety resulting from crosses between hybrids. Barrackpore is a city in India, but the 7 Pot pepper originates from Trinidad and Tobago.
4th Moruga Orange
PUNCH: 981,000
It looks like a twisted bell pepper. Also from Trinidad and Tobago, it is used industrially to make super spicy powders.
5th Red Moruga
PUNCH: 952,000
Like its orange relative, it is ground and made into a powder. This variety is very popular in Haiti.
old acquaintances
For reference, check out the ranking of the most popular peppers:
chilli
PUNCH: From 60,000 to 100,000
tabasco
PUNCH: From 30,000 to 50,000
Smelling pepper
PUNCH: From 10,000 to 50,000
Lady’s Finger
PUNCH: From 5,000 to 15,000
jalapeno
PUNCH: From 2,500 to 5,000
pout
PUNCH: 1,000
SOURCES: Pepper expert Dave DeWitt, University of New Mexico chemist Martin Bensinger, and Gastronomic Dictionary: Peppers by Nelusko Linguanotto Neto