If you are a fan of spicy food, you might be curious about the hottest peppers in the world. Peppers are measured by their Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which indicate the amount of capsaicin, the chemical compound that causes the burning sensation, in them. The higher the SHU, the hotter the pepper. Here are the top 10 hottest peppers in the world, according to various sources :
10. Trinidad Moruga scorpion
This pepper from Trinidad and Tobago has a fruity flavor and a scorching heat that can reach up to 2 million SHU. It was once considered the hottest pepper in the world by the Guinness World Records in 2012.
9. Trinidad Scorpion Cardi
Another pepper from Trinidad and Tobago, this one has a distinctive scorpion-like tail and a citrusy flavor. It can also reach up to 2 million SHU, but it is not as stable as the Moruga Scorpion.
8. 7 Pot Barrackpore
This pepper from Trinidad is named after the town of Barrackpore and the fact that one pod can spice up seven pots of stew. It has a nutty flavor and a heat level of around 1.3 million SHU.
7. Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
This pepper from India is also known as Bhut Jolokia, which means “ghost chili” in Assamese. It has a smoky flavor and a heat level of around 1 million SHU. It was the first pepper to break the 1 million SHU mark and was the hottest pepper in the world from 2007 to 2011.
6. Naga Viper pepper
This pepper from England is a hybrid of three different peppers: the Naga Morich, the Bhut Jolokia, and the Trinidad Scorpion. It has a fruity flavor and a heat level of around 1.4 million SHU. It was briefly the hottest pepper in the world in 2011.
5. Trinidad Scorpion Butch T
This pepper from Australia is another variant of the Trinidad Scorpion with a stinger-like tail. It has a floral flavor and a heat level of around 1.5 million SHU. It was the hottest pepper in the world from 2011 to 2012.
4. 7 Pot Primo
This pepper from Louisiana is a cross between a Naga Morich and a Trinidad 7 Pot. It has a fruity flavor and a heat level of around 1.5 million SHU. It has a distinctive bumpy surface and a long tail.
3. 7 Pot Douglah
This pepper from Trinidad is also known as the Chocolate 7 Pot because of its dark brown color. It has an earthy flavor and a heat level of around 1.8 million SHU. It is one of the hottest peppers with a chocolate hue.
2. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
This pepper from Trinidad is similar to the Moruga Scorpion but with more consistent heat and flavor. It has a sweet flavor and a heat level of up to 2 million SHU. It was the hottest pepper in the world from 2012 to 2013.
1. Carolina Reaper
This pepper from South Carolina is a cross between a Ghost Pepper and a Red Habanero. It has a fruity flavor and a heat level of up to 2.2 million SHU. It is currently the hottest pepper in the world according to the Guinness World Records since 2013. It has a unique stinger-like tail that sets it apart from other peppers.
There are some other peppers that claim to be hotter than the Carolina Reaper, such as the Dragon’s Breath (2.48 million SHU) and Pepper X (3.18 million SHU), but they have not been officially tested or recognized by the Guinness World Records yet. Therefore, they are not included in this list.
If you want to try any of these peppers, be careful and use gloves, goggles and small amounts at first. These peppers are not for the faint of heart and can cause severe pain, sweating, tears, vomiting and even hallucinations if consumed in large quantities or without proper preparation. Enjoy them at your own risk!
