Ghost peppers are a type of pepper from India and Sri Lanka, known for their extreme heat, with a maximum score of over 1 million units on the Scoville scale. They are used in exotic cuisine and have been featured in competitive food events and self-defense items. They can lose some of their intensity during cooking and require extra precautions when handling.
A ghost pepper is a specific type of pepper, native to parts of India and Sri Lanka, that is considered by many to be the hottest pepper in existence. The local term for this variety of pepper is bhut jolokia and natives of these regions understand that the term “ghost pepper” has been widely applied by Western audiences. This pepper has been prolifically exported around the world for use in recipes that call for a specific intensity of flavor.
To understand the heat intensity for this pepper variety, it helps to know a scientific resource called the Scoville rating. The Scoville scale or rating helps define the heat of a particular pepper or other food. The Scoville scale is made up of Scoville heat units, abbreviated SHU. These units are based on the amount of an element called capsaicin, which occurs naturally in many varieties of peppers around the world. Using a Scoville scale, experts can technically compare the strength of various peppers.
What the researchers found is that ghost peppers tested on the Scoville scale can achieve a maximum score of over 1 million units. This is best understood by comparing this rating to something like the more familiar jalapeno pepper rating, which happens to have up to about 8,000 units. This makes ghost peppers hundreds of times stronger than jalapenos, which gives those unfamiliar with the plant more guidance on its strength.
These small peppers are often used in exotic cuisine where the end result is heavily reliant on a tangy, spicy taste. As a prime example of the potency of this pepper, ghost pepper products have been featured in some of the competitive food events that test the human body’s ability to handle capsaicin. Ghost pepper has also been used in the manufacture of various weapons and self defense items, for example in pepper spray which is commonly used by individuals in self defense and also by law enforcement agencies for crowd control.
As with other types of peppers, ghost peppers can lose some of their intensity during cooking. Because peppers are so inherently hot, many consider this strategy to be only marginally effective. In culinary uses, ghost peppers need to be mixed with a large amount of other foods to be remotely digestible for even many eaters. It is also necessary for cooks to take extra precautions when handling them, such as wearing protective gloves and face masks.
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