What is Scoville? The Scoville Scale Explained
The Scoville scale is the standard measurement for the heat level of peppers and hot sauces. It was invented in 1912 by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, and it measures the concentration of capsaicin — the chemical compound responsible for the burning sensation you feel when you eat hot peppers.
How Does the Scoville Scale Work?
Scoville originally measured heat by diluting pepper extract in sugar water until a panel of tasters could no longer detect heat. The number of dilutions required became the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating. Today, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used for more precise measurements — but the SHU scale remains the universal standard.
Scoville Heat Unit Chart
- Bell Pepper: 0 SHU
- Banana Pepper: 0–500 SHU
- Poblano: 1,000–2,000 SHU
- Jalapeño: 2,500–8,000 SHU
- Chipotle: 2,500–8,000 SHU
- Serrano: 10,000–23,000 SHU
- Cayenne: 30,000–50,000 SHU
- Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia): 1,000,000 SHU
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion: 1,200,000–2,000,000 SHU
- Carolina Reaper: 1,641,183–2,200,000+ SHU
- Pure Capsaicin: 16,000,000 SHU
What Does SHU Actually Feel Like?
Numbers are one thing — experience is another. A jalapeño at 8,000 SHU is noticeable but comfortable for most people. A habanero at 300,000 SHU demands respect. A Carolina Reaper at 1.6 million SHU is a full-body event. And 16 million SHU pure capsaicin extract is the physical maximum — used in Insainasylum 16, the hottest hot sauce we make.
Scoville Ratings for Insain Hot Sauces
See exactly where every Insain Hot Sauce falls on the scale on our Insain Heat Scale.
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