The 4 Hottest Chillis in the World

The 4 Hottest Chillis in the World

Everyone who has ever taken a bite out a chili pepper knows just how hot they can be. While this may be common knowledge, the reason why these peppers cause such a strong reaction in our mouth is not.

Within moments of taking that first bite, your tongue begins to react to a component found inside the pepper, and within seconds it feels like your mouth is on fire. You can drink as much water as you want, but the burning feeling remains until the component has passed. This component is known as capsaicin. When exposed to human tissue, it causes that burning sensation.

The amount of capsaicin found in a pepper is measured on a special scale, called the Scoville scale, which is deigned to measure the level of hotness that a food has. For example, Sweet bell pepper scored 0 Scovilles, meaning they are a very mild pepper. Jalapeño chili peppers, which are known for being quite hot, scored between 2,500 - 8,000 Scovilles, depending on the individual pepper and where and how it was grown.

There are chilli peppers that are much, much hotter than the jalapeño however. In fact, there are chillis so spicy that even holding them in your hand without gloves can cause the skin on your hand to burn as though your flesh is melting.

4 – Ghost Chili

Take for example the ghost chili. This pepper is a interspecific hybrid grown in northeastern India. It was awarded the "spiciest chilli pepper" award by the Guinness World Records in 2007, but has sense been replaced. It is now the fourth spiciest pepper, but don't let that fool you. Using even just a few slivers of the pepper in a dish can make it almost inedible. Those who have tried to eat the entire pepper, only a few inches long, compare it to to drinking battery acid mixed with glass shards. The pepper rates around 1,067,286 Scovilles.

3 – New Mexico Scorpion

The third hottest chili in the world is the New Mexico Scorpion, at 1,191,595 Scovilles. As the name implies, this is a US grown chili that is most commonly eaten in El Pinto Scorpion Salsa. One jar of the spicy salsa cost $55, with proceeds going to help fund New Mexico Chile Institute, which strives to continually improve peppers to make them even hotter.

2 - Naga Viper

But the New Mexico Scorpion is nothing compared to the Naga Viper, the second hottest pepper in the world, scoring 1,382,118 Scovilles. This pepper was grown on a farm in England, in Cark, Cumbria. It is a three way hybrid chili, grown from the Naga Morich, the Ghost Pepper and the Trinidad Scorpio. This pepper is so hot that even holding it for a few moments can cause your skin to burn. Eating this pepper doesn't just burn your mouth either, it burns your entire throat, eyes, intestine, and everything else it touches. Before eating this chili, you must sign a waiver stating that you understand what you are putting your body through.


1 - Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper

Nothing can compare to the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper however, the spiciest chili in the world. At 1,463,700 Scovilles, this pepper is so hot that you must wear a chemical mask and body suit to protect against the fumes it gives off. This chili is so strong that if the fumes get anywhere near your eyes, it can cause blindness.

This is a guest post by Karen Andersen from MinTemaFest.dk. MinTemaFest is Scandinavias largest party supplies shop, with over 10,000 party products in stock including Mexico party items.