Pepper Scale Scale (Scoville Scale)

The concept of "pepper" is associated in our imagination with the words "acute" or "sweet." But are there only two flavors of this plant and is it all the same sharp? It turns out, no. There is even a special scale for peppers.

From what the bitter pepper

The bitter taste of pepper, like many other products, is due to the presence of the substance capsaicin in it. And the more it is in the composition of this species, the sharper the product.

Capsaicin has learned to use even without the most pepper-capsicum. This substance is used in pharmacology and for the manufacture of cans used for self-defense.

Score sharpness of peppers according to Scoville

Many people used pepper, but the idea of creating a scale of acuity came in 1912 to the head of the American Wilbur Scoville. As a result, he not only received a scale of his name, but also created a new unit of measurement. For the point of reference, the chemist took the spicy sweetness of sweet pepper. It turns out that there is practically no capsaicin in its composition. But what is the unit of measurement? Scoville suggested using a specific weight of capsaicin in pepper. He called it the unit of the Scoville scale (ESU).

Methods for measuring the stiffness

Products that have a burning taste, affect the branches of the trigeminal nerve. They help to feel the taste of the product. The burning must be measured in order to rationally use different spices in the food industry.

Scoville diluted the alcoholic infusion of pepper of a certain type with water and sugar. I added an aqueous solution until the burning sensation ceased to be felt. This amount of water was recorded in your table.

The Scoville method is not the only one for measuring the stiffness, and not exactly accurate. It does not take into account the number of substances called capsaicinoids. They, together with capsaicins, are measured by liquid chromatography in units called ppm.

The Scoville method is based on comparing the amount of capsaicin in different grades. One point of this scale indicates the specific content of capsaicin, which contains chili pepper. Acuity on a scale is determined when compared with other varieties.

Researching

How to determine the burning pepper, and even put it on the scale? After all, working with this vegetable can be dangerous for your well-being. Scientists who conducted the research, noted that rubberized protective suits, gas masks could not completely protect the body from the effects of particularly aggressive varieties. And his hands felt a burning sensation, although they wore two pairs of latex gloves on them.

Simplified scale of sharpness of peppers

It is rather difficult to use the Scoville scale, because you need to keep in mind large numbers. Therefore, there is a simplified scale for measuring pepper severity, based on the Scoville table.

The simplified scale offers all sorts and types of peppers divided into 11 groups:

• Zero (neutral) combines those whose sharpness is from 0 to 100 ECU.
• The first (soft) - from 100 to 500 ECU.
• The second (warm varieties) is from 500 to 1000 ECU.
• The third (above average) is from 1000 to 1500 ECU.
• The fourth (hot grades) - from 1500 to 2000 ЕEС.
• The fifth (strong) - from 2500 to 5000 ECU.
• The sixth (burning) - from 5000 to 15 000 ECU.
• Seventh (scorching varieties) - from 15 to 30 thousand ECU.
• The eighth (hot) - from 30 to 50 thousand ECU.
• The ninth (volcanic) - from 50 to 100 thousand ECU.
• The tenth - from 100 thousand ECU. This is Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Red, Naga Jolokia. These are explosive types of pepper.

The scale of sharpness to 4 is represented by fairly mild species.

The representative of group 0 is the Bulgarian sweet pepper. The amount of ascorbic acid in it is 3 times more than in lemon.

Pimento pimento (fragrant) from group 1 is appreciated for its aroma and pleasant taste. Used for cooking salads. It is stewed with vegetables, rice, stuffed.

View of anaheim (group 2) is fleshy and large. The disadvantage is too hard skin, which is usually removed during cooking. Used to create dishes from meat, eggs, rice, beans.

Pepper pepper (sharpness 3) green in taste is similar to prunes, but only bitter. The taste is directly related to the color of the pod. The darker it is, the sharper. From it prepare various Mexican dishes, stuffed, fried in an egg.

Further there are more acute species.

Hungarian wax pepper (sharpness 6) is long and narrow in appearance. It is used in salads, marinated, stewed.

Pepper Serrano (sharpness 7) is used for the preparation of alcoholic beverages. Prepare sauces, add to salads.

Pepper rokoto shape resembles an egg. The color is red, the seeds are black. It differs in apple flavor. Prepare from it salsa, various sauces. Scale of sharpness 8.

Tepin (mosquito) is considered the progenitor of all kinds of peppers. Sharpness 8. It's a wild sight. Its fruits are pecking birds, although it is very sharp.

Very hot peppers

Tabasco is used to make the sauce of the same name. The bush is very beautiful, decorated with a lot of yellow and red peppers. Acuity 9.

Hot Thai pepper for cooking fried in oil, then add to taste in soups and second courses. Acuity 9.

Habanero has the taste of apple and cherry at the same time. The scale of acuity of peppers this species refers to group 10.

The most hot pepper

Periodically, the title of the earliest pepper is given to different species.

Scoville considered the most burning Habanero.

Since February 2012, the most acute pepper was Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Blend. The severity of chili pepper on the Scoville scale can range from 1.2 to 2 million units. It is so sharp that, after using it, the pressure starts to rise sharply, the eyes are watered, and the throat and tongue are baking with fire. Worst of all, this reaction does not occur in the first seconds after use, but when a large amount of pepper gets into the throat, esophagus.

What makes gourmets use it for food? Strong bitterness and sharpness are combined in this sort of pepper with a fruity aroma, giving products a unique taste.

It grows in the south of the Caribbean coast, in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. There, in the Moruga area, there is not one species claiming to be the most acute. Prior to this, the most acute was the pepper Trinidad Scorpion Butch T with an acuteness of about 1.4 million units.

Determine the burning intensity of the variety can only be approximately, because the severity of pepper depends on many factors. This is the temperature of the air during ripening, the amount of precipitation falling on the territory of growth. The higher the temperature and the lower the humidity, the sharper the pepper.

Secrets of the production of ground pepper

From the same species it is possible to create products of different severity. If only the shell of the vegetable is used for production, then the products of the highest grade of bright red color are obtained. If, however, the whole pod with seeds goes into processing, the first grade pepper is obtained. Due to the presence of seeds, it is sharper and slightly lighter than the previous one.

There are species in which the seeds in different chambers have different burning sensations. This is pepper gogoshar. Two of the four chambers are clogged with bitter, and two - with a neutral taste of grain. Therefore, the severity of peppers on the Scoville scale will depend on whether the whole fruit is used for food.

Overexposure

Many people know the sad fact that peppers of different types are easily perepylyaetsya. This is especially true for sweet Bulgarian pepper. The closer they grow to each other, the greater the possibility of crossover.

The scale of pepper severity shows the result for fruits that are pollinated by the same variety. As a result, the sharpness of bitter pepper does not decrease, while the sweet becomes ordinary, and the taste bitter.

Use of bitter pepper in medicine

In addition to bitterness, which affects the taste of cooked dishes, pepper contains a large number of vitamins C and PP. Together with carotenoids, they improve the functioning of the prostate gland.

Bitter taste affects the fact that pepper relieves pain, including with radiculitis, arthritis, arthrosis.