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NMSU prof finds world's hottest chile
Now we're talking hot, and it's the Indians that have it.
RUSH THE INDIANS!
RUSH THE INDIANS!
Hot stuff!
NMSU prof finds world's hottest chile
By New Mexico State University
Article Launched: 02/17/2007 05:05:00 AM MST
LAS CRUCES — When Paul Bosland exhaled after taking a bite of the world's hottest chile pepper, it felt like he was breathing fire.
"Got milk?" was the first thought to cross his mind, he said.
The next thing Bosland thought, after gulping down a soda, was, "That chile has got to be some kind of record."
He was right.
In the fall of 2006, the Guinness Book of Records confirmed that New Mexico State University Regent's Professor Paul Bosland had indeed discovered the world's hottest chile pepper, Bhut Jolokia — at 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units, the pepper is nearly twice as hot as Red Savina, the chile pepper variety it replaces as the world's hottest.
"The name Bhut Jolokia translates as 'ghost chile,'" Bosland said, "We're not sure why they call it that, but I think it's because the chile is so hot, you give up the ghost when you eat it!"
According to Bosland, Bhut Jolokia is native to northeastern India. A member of NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute visiting India sent Bhut Jolokia seeds back to NMSU for testing in 2001.
Bosland reported that the variety has compelling potential in the packaged food industry as a food additive. The pepper could be pickled while still green, dehydrated and used as a seasoning. Because the heat is so concentrated, less would be needed and food manufacturers would save money.
"This isn't something you'd pickle whole and eat," Bosland said, "but it could replace dehydrated jalapeno as an additive."
Bhut Jolokia is not NMSU's first brush with chile greatness; the record-holder for world's largest chile pepper is a specimen of the 'NuMex Big Jim' variety. The record-holder was grown near Hatch, but the variety was developed at NMSU.
What are Scoville Units?
A pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville invented the Scoville Scale in 1912 to measure the heat of peppers. A "Scoville Unit" is actually a measure of capsaicin (the chemical in hot peppers that is responsible for their heat).
Scoville's test was a comparative taste test that is considered subjective by today's standards. A more sophisticated method is in use today, but in honor of Wilbur Scoville, the unit of measure is still called the Scoville.
Source: www.tabasco.com
In comparison ...
The following chart is an approximation of heat, used to compare the relative spiciness of peppers:
Pepper Type/Heat rating (in Scoville heat units)
Habanero/200,000-300,000
Red Amazon/75,000
Pequin/75,000
Chiltecepin/70,000-75,000
Tabasco/30,00-50,000
Cayenne/35,000
Arbol/25,000
Smoked Jalapeño (Chipotle)/10,000
Serrano/7,000-25,000
Guajillo/5,000
Jalapeño/3,500-4,500
Poblano/2,500-3,000
Pasilla/2,500
Anaheim/1,000-1,400
New Mexican/1,000
Ancho/1,000
Bell & Pimento/0
Source: www.wiw.org
NMSU prof finds world's hottest chile
By New Mexico State University
Article Launched: 02/17/2007 05:05:00 AM MST
LAS CRUCES — When Paul Bosland exhaled after taking a bite of the world's hottest chile pepper, it felt like he was breathing fire.
"Got milk?" was the first thought to cross his mind, he said.
The next thing Bosland thought, after gulping down a soda, was, "That chile has got to be some kind of record."
He was right.
In the fall of 2006, the Guinness Book of Records confirmed that New Mexico State University Regent's Professor Paul Bosland had indeed discovered the world's hottest chile pepper, Bhut Jolokia — at 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units, the pepper is nearly twice as hot as Red Savina, the chile pepper variety it replaces as the world's hottest.
"The name Bhut Jolokia translates as 'ghost chile,'" Bosland said, "We're not sure why they call it that, but I think it's because the chile is so hot, you give up the ghost when you eat it!"
According to Bosland, Bhut Jolokia is native to northeastern India. A member of NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute visiting India sent Bhut Jolokia seeds back to NMSU for testing in 2001.
Bosland reported that the variety has compelling potential in the packaged food industry as a food additive. The pepper could be pickled while still green, dehydrated and used as a seasoning. Because the heat is so concentrated, less would be needed and food manufacturers would save money.
"This isn't something you'd pickle whole and eat," Bosland said, "but it could replace dehydrated jalapeno as an additive."
Bhut Jolokia is not NMSU's first brush with chile greatness; the record-holder for world's largest chile pepper is a specimen of the 'NuMex Big Jim' variety. The record-holder was grown near Hatch, but the variety was developed at NMSU.
What are Scoville Units?
A pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville invented the Scoville Scale in 1912 to measure the heat of peppers. A "Scoville Unit" is actually a measure of capsaicin (the chemical in hot peppers that is responsible for their heat).
Scoville's test was a comparative taste test that is considered subjective by today's standards. A more sophisticated method is in use today, but in honor of Wilbur Scoville, the unit of measure is still called the Scoville.
Source: www.tabasco.com
In comparison ...
The following chart is an approximation of heat, used to compare the relative spiciness of peppers:
Pepper Type/Heat rating (in Scoville heat units)
Habanero/200,000-300,000
Red Amazon/75,000
Pequin/75,000
Chiltecepin/70,000-75,000
Tabasco/30,00-50,000
Cayenne/35,000
Arbol/25,000
Smoked Jalapeño (Chipotle)/10,000
Serrano/7,000-25,000
Guajillo/5,000
Jalapeño/3,500-4,500
Poblano/2,500-3,000
Pasilla/2,500
Anaheim/1,000-1,400
New Mexican/1,000
Ancho/1,000
Bell & Pimento/0
Source: www.wiw.org
My sister goes to school there.
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