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The bhut jolokia (English: king cobra chile) – also known as naga jolokia, Dorset naga, naga morich, or ghost chili – is a chili pepper. In 2007, it was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, replacing the Red Savina. It is a naturally occurring inter-specific hybrid originating in the Assam region of northeastern India.[1][2] It also grows in the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur. Disagreement has arisen on whether it is a Capsicum frutescens or a Capsicum chinense. Some claim it is a C. frutescens,[3] but recent DNA tests have found that it is an interspecies hybrid, mostly C. chinense with some C. frutescens genes.[4]
[edit] Scoville rating
|
| Heat: Maximum (SR: 1,041,427) |
In 2000, scientists at India's Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale,[3] and in 2004 an Indian company obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units through HPLC analysis.[5] This makes it almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper, Guinness World Record holder at that time. For comparison, Tabasco red pepper sauce rates at 2,500-5,000, and pure capsaicin (the chemical responsible for the pungency of pepper plants) rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units.[citation needed]
In 2005, at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, regents Professor Paul Bosland found bhut jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.[1]
In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the bhut jolokia (Prof. Bosland's preferred name for the pepper) as the world's hottest chile pepper.[1][6]
The effect of climate on the Scoville rating of bhut jolokia peppers is dramatic. A 2005 Indian study that compared the percentage availability of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in bhut jolokia peppers grown in both Tezpur (Assam) and Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) showed that the heat of the pepper is decreased by over 50% in Gwalior's more arid climate (similar temperatures but less humid, much lower rainfall).[7] Ripe peppers measure 60 to 85 mm (2.4 to 3.3 in) long and 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) wide with an orange or red color. They are similar in appearance to the habanero pepper, but have a rougher, dented skin – a main characteristic of the Bhut Jolokia.[8]
[edit] Characteristics
| Plant height |
45–120 cm |
| Stem color |
Green |
| Leaf color |
Green |
| Leaf length |
10.65-14.25 cm |
| Leaf width |
5.4-7.5 cm |
| Pedicels/axil |
2 |
| Corolla color |
Yellow green |
| Anther color |
Pale blue |
| Annular constriction |
Present below calyx |
| Fruit color at maturity |
Red |
|
| Fruit shape |
Sub-conical to conical |
| Fruit length |
5.95-8.54 cm |
| Fruit width at shoulder |
2.5-2.95 cm |
| Fruit weight |
6.95-8.97 g |
| Fruit surface |
Rough, uneven |
| Seed color |
Light brown |
| 1000 seed weight |
0.41-0.46 g |
| Seeds/fruit |
19.22-34.15 |
| Hypocotyl color |
Green |
| Cotyledonous leaf shape |
Deltoid |
|
The pepper is used as a spice in food or eaten alone. One seed from a bhut jolokia can produce sustained intense pain sensations in the mouth for up to 30 minutes before subsiding. Extreme care should be taken when ingesting the pepper and its seeds, so as to not get it in the eyes. It is used as a cure for stomach ailments. It is also used as a remedy to summer heat, presumably by inducing perspiration.[2] In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or used in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance.[9][10]
In 2009, scientists at India's Defence Research and Development Organisation announced plans to use the chillies in hand grenades, as a less lethal way to control rioters.[11]
[edit] Bhut Jolokia pepper's rank on the Scoville scale
Scoville scale
| Scoville rating |
Type of pepper |
| 15,000,000–16,000,000 |
Pure capsaicin[12] |
| 8,600,000–9,100,000 |
Various capsaicinoids (e.g. homocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin) |
| 5,000,000–5,300,000 |
Law Enforcement Grade pepper spray,[13] FN 303 irritant ammunition |
| 855,000–1,050,000 |
Bhut Jolokia (a.k.a. Ghost pepper)[1][14] |
| 350,000–580,000 |
Red Savina Habanero[15][16] |
| 100,000–350,000 |
Habanero chili,[17] Scotch Bonnet Pepper,[17] Datil pepper, Rocoto, African Birdseye, Madame Jeanette, Jamaican Hot Pepper[18] |
| 50,000–100,000 |
Thai Pepper,[19] Malagueta Pepper,[19] Chiltepin Pepper, Pequin Pepper[19] |
| 30,000–50,000 |
Cayenne Pepper, Ají pepper,[17] Tabasco pepper, some Chipotle peppers, Cumari pepper (Capsicum Chinese) |
| 10,000–23,000 |
Serrano Pepper, some Chipotle peppers |
| 2,500–8,000 |
Jalapeño Pepper, Guajillo pepper, New Mexican (New Mexican Green Chili is different from Anaheim)varieties of Anaheim pepper,[20] Paprika (Hungarian wax pepper) |
| 500–2,500 |
Anaheim pepper, Poblano Pepper, Rocotillo Pepper |
| 100–500 |
Pimento, Peperoncini |
| 0 |
No heat, Bell pepper |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Shaline L. Lopez (2007). "NMSU is home to the world’s hottest chile pepper". http://www.nmsu.edu/~ucomm/Releases/2007/february/hottest_chile.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
- ^ a b "‘Ghost chile’ burns away stomach ills - Diet & Nutrition - MSNBC.com:". Associated Press. 2007. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20058096/. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
- ^ a b Mathur R, et al. (2000). "The hottest chile variety in India" (PDF). Current Science 79 (3): 287–8. http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/aug102000/scr974.pdf.
- ^ Paul W. Bosland and Jit B. Baral (2007). "‘Bhut Jolokia’—The World’s Hottest Known Chile Pepper is a Putative Naturally Occurring Interspecific Hybrid". Horticultural Science 42 (2): 222-4. http://cahe.nmsu.edu/chilepepperinstitute/documents/bhutjolokia.pdf.
- ^ "Bih jolokia". 2006. http://www.frontalagritech.co.in/products/bihjolokia_gen.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
- ^ "Indian chile world's hottest: Guinness". 2007. http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14391202. Retrieved 2007-02-18.
- ^ Tiwari A, et al. (2005). "Adaptability and production of hottest chile variety under Gwalior climatic conditions" (PDF). Current Science 88 (10): 1545–6. http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/may252005/1545.pdf.
- ^ Barker, Catherine L. (2007), "Hot Pod: World's Hottest", National Geographic Magazine 2007 (May): 21
- ^ Hussain, Wasbir (2007-11-20). "World's Hottest Chile Used as Elephant Repellent". National Geographic. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/11/071120-AP-india-elephants.html. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
- ^ "Ghost Chile Scares Off Elephants". National Geographic News website. National Geographic. 2007-11-20. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/11/photogalleries/elephant-pictures. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8119591.stm
- ^ Uhl (1996), op. cit. "The HPLC measures the capsaicinoid(s) in ppm, which can then be converted to Scoville units using a conversion factor of 15, 20 or 30 depending on the capsaicinoid." This would make capsaicin 15,000,000
- ^ "The Police Policy Studies Council". www.theppsc.org. http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Czarnecki/chemical_hazards_in_law_enforcement.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-09. "Most law enforcement sprays have a pungency of 500,000 to 2 million SHU. One brand has sprays with 5.3 million SHU."
- ^ AP (23 February 2007). "World's hottest chili pepper a mouthful for prof". CNN. Archived from the original on 2007-03-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20070322224224/http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/23/hot.pepper.ap/index.html.
- ^ "What is a Habanero Pepper?". wisegeek.com. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-habanero-pepper.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
- ^ "World's hottest chile pepper discovered". American Society for Horticultural Science. http://www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-1/Worlds-hottest-chile-pepper-discovered-991-1/. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
- ^ a b c "Chile Pepper Heat Scoville Scale". About.com. http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blhotchiles.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-25.
- ^ "The Scoville Scale". http://www.happystove.com/recipes/scoville.php.
- ^ a b c "Scoville Scale Chart for Hot Sauce and Hot Peppers". ScottRobertsWeb.com. http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/scoville-scale.php. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
- ^ "Anaheim Pepper" (PDF). Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University. 2007. http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/documents/chileheat.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
