Guinness World Records has announced that a chili pepper called Pepper X has been awarded the title of "the hottest pepper in the world", and this certification once again highlights the human exploration and challenge of extreme food. Rigorously tested by Winthrop University in South Carolina, Pepper X averaged a staggering 2,690,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), surpassing former record holder Carolina Reaper, who averaged 1,640,000 SHU. It is worth mentioning that the Scoville heat unit (shu) was invented by the American chemist Wilbur Scoville in 1912 to quantify the spiciness of chili peppers.
Against the backdrop of a wide variety of peppers around the world, Pepper X is much hotter than the average pepper. For example, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, jalapeños are only spicily anywhere from 3,000 to 8,000 shu on average, which is in stark contrast to Pepper X.
Behind Pepper X is more than a decade of research and nurturing by Ed Currie, founder of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company in South Carolina, and his team. Not only did Currie successfully breed the previous record holder, the Carolina Reaper, but also increased its capsaicin content by crossing Pepper X with other high-spiciness peppers. Guinness World Records has given this high praise on its official **, highlighting Currie's innovation and contribution in the field of chili cultivation.
Currie first showed Pepper X to the public in the popular YouTube series "Hot Ones", through which the extreme hotness of Pepper X attracted a lot of attention. In its description of Pepper X on its **, the Puckerbutt Pepper Company mentions, "Those who are not afraid of death are fools." It's very spicy", which is not only a visual description of pepper x spiciness, but also an affirmation of the courage to challenge the limits of food.
Looking ahead, the emergence of Pepper X may inspire more pepper variety research and development and spiciness challenges, while also providing new possibilities for the food industry, especially the development of spicy products. However, for the majority of chili lovers, it is important to pay attention to safety and eat in moderation when enjoying these extreme spicy products, so as not to cause adverse health effects.