This is the Hottest Chili Pepper in the World by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Guinness Book of World Records is full of extraordinary as well as eccentric achievements from all over the globe. And as of October 16, a new record-breaker has been added to the list: the hottest chilli pepper in the world. This fiery pepper, known for its intense heat, has surpassed all previous records and is sure to leave even the bravest of spice enthusiasts reaching for a glass of milk. 

So, you may be asking:

Which is the hottest chilli pepper in the world?

Allow us to enlighten you. Previously, the record was held by 'Carolina Reaper' from when it was created by Ed Currie in 2013 until 2023. 

^{A Carolina Reaper}

After a decade, the Carolina pepper was dethroned by another pepper known as the 'Pepper X'. This new contender packs an even more intense punch, measuring an average of 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), making it the reigning champion of spiciness. South Carolina's Winthrop University performed a series of tests and found that the new spice champion is around 1.6 times hotter and spicier than the Carolina Reaper. 

^{A Pepper X}

What’s even more interesting about it is that the new pepper was also created by Ed Currie. Currie is the founder and President of Puckerbutt Pepper Company, a harvester and producer of some of the hottest pepper products. According to the official website of the Guinness Book of World Records, it took Currie 10 years to grow Pepper X. He already held the record for growing the hottest chilli pepper, Carolina Reaper, still he wanted to break his own record. To create the next hottest pepper, he had to increase its capsaicin level, so he cross-bred Pepper X with some of his hottest peppers, and eventually after 10 years, his hard work paid off.

How is the hotness/spiciness of peppers determined?

In 1912, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville came up with a scale to determine the hotness of a pepper, called the Scoville scale. The scale determines a pepper's level of pungency or spiciness based on how much capsaicin it contains. 

The testing method entails extracting the capsaicinoids from a pepper and diluting them using a sugar and water solution until the spiciness of the pepper is no longer detectable by a panel of highly trained taste testers. More dilutions correspond to a greater heat index value and, as a result, a larger concentration of capsaicinoids. The test is based on the initial amount taken from the pepper as well as the taste testers' training.

The level of spiciness is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which signify how many times the concentration of capsaicinoids must be diluted before it becomes undetectable. 

And the new record holder, Pepper X contains an average of 2.69 million SHU. For comparison, an average jalapeño pepper rates somewhere between 3,000 to 8,000 SHU, so you can imagine how fiery hot Pepper X must be.

With its fiery reputation, the new hottest chilli pepper in the world, Pepper X is not for the faint of heart and should be approached with caution by even the most daring spice lovers. 

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