Scoville scale
Capsaicin intensity measurement
The Scoville scale measures the pungency of chili peppers and other spicy foods, expressed in Scoville heat units (SHU).
Bell peppers register zero; jalapeños around 2,500–8,000; habaneros reach 100,000–350,000; the hottest cultivated peppers exceed two million.
That hot sauce claims a million Scoville units.
Mild-to-medium Mexican pepper
- habaneroExtremely pungent chili variety
- ghost pepperExtremely hot chili variety
- Carolina ReaperCultivar of extreme capsaicin
- cayennePungent red spice
serrano · bird's eye · chipotle · poblano · ancho · pasilla · pepperoncini · naga
Combustion in progress
- fieryIntensely hot or passionate
- pungentSharply strong-smelling
- spicinessDegree of heat
- hotnessExtreme warmth or spice
intensity · kick · bite · sting · fire · warmth · mild · medium
Sharp smell or taste
- alkaloidNitrogenous plant compound
- oleoresinMixed plant secretion
- substance PPain-signaling neuropeptide
- deterrentThing that discourages action
counterirritant · extract · concentration · compound · receptor · irritant
Standard measures of quantity
- ratingAssigned evaluative score
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- quantificationExpressing something numerically
- standardizationImplementing uniform technical specifications
testing · dilution · threshold · chromatography · potency · concentration · index · benchmarking
jalapeño
Mild-to-medium Mexican pepper
- habaneroExtremely pungent chili variety
- ghost pepperExtremely hot chili variety
- Carolina ReaperCultivar of extreme capsaicin
cayenne · serrano · bird's eye · chipotle · poblano · ancho · pasilla · pepperoncini · naga · piri piri
burning
Combustion in progress
hotness · intensity · kick · bite · sting · fire · warmth · mild · medium · hot
pungency
Sharp smell or taste
- alkaloidNitrogenous plant compound
- oleoresinMixed plant secretion
- substance PPain-signaling neuropeptide
deterrent · counterirritant · extract · concentration · compound · receptor · irritant
units
Standard measures of quantity
- ratingAssigned evaluative score
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- quantificationExpressing something numerically
standardization · testing · dilution · threshold · chromatography · potency · concentration · index · benchmarking · gradation
- scalesweight, measure, balance, beam balance, pan balance
- spicinessmild, medium, hot, extra hot, spicy
Scoville scalemildness
Gentle, moderate quality
blandness · bell pepper · milk · plain yogurt
Scoville scalecooling sensation
Perception of lowered temperature
milk · yogurt · cucumber · bell pepper
scale, scales, upscale, scaling, scaled, downscale, rescale, scaler, rescaled