The Guinness World Records has declared Pepper X as the world’s hottest chilli pepper, unseating the Carolina Reaper, which held the title for a decade, News About Nigeria reports.
Pepper X, a creation of breeder and grower Ed Currie, is setting new records with its extraordinary heat level, registering at a staggering 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), more than one million units hotter than the previous champion, the Carolina Reaper.
The Scoville Scale, developed by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912, measures the heat intensity of peppers based on capsaicin content—the chemical responsible for the burning sensation when consumed.
For perspective, a habanero pepper typically hits 100,000 SHU, whereas Pepper X reaches 2.69 million SHU.
Ed Currie nurtured Pepper X for a decade on his South Carolina farm, maintaining a veil of secrecy around the project to safeguard his intellectual property.
In a statement, Mr. Currie emphasized the collaborative nature of the achievement, saying, “This was a team effort. We knew we had something special, so I only let a few of my closest family and friends know what was really going on.”
In lab tests conducted at Winthrop University in South Carolina, Pepper X consistently recorded an average of 2,693,000 SHU. This remarkable achievement dethrones Ed Currie’s own creation, the Carolina Reaper, which averaged 1,641,183 SHU.
Capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in chilli peppers, is found in the placenta of the pepper, the tissue that encases the seeds. Pepper X’s unique curves and ridges provide a larger surface area for the placenta to grow, contributing to its extraordinary heat level.
Ed Currie’s journey into pepper cultivation began as a hobby after overcoming drug and alcohol addictions. He found that peppers acted as a natural high and became passionate about their cultivation.
Currie, who is one of just five individuals known to have consumed an entire Pepper X, shared his experience, saying, “I was feeling the heat for three and a half hours. Then the cramps came. Those cramps are horrible. I was laid out flat on a marble wall for approximately an hour in the rain, groaning in pain.”
To protect his intellectual property and secure profits, Currie has decided not to sell Pepper X pods and seeds. Instead, the only way to savour the intense heat of Pepper X will be through hot sauces made available for purchase.
This decision comes after Currie’s legal battle, as around 10,000 products used the Carolina Reaper name without permission.
