Chili Pepper News — scoville heat scale

Understanding the Scoville Scale: A Guide to Measuring Heat in Peppers If you’ve ever reached for a bottle of hot sauce, you’ve probably noticed a number indicating its heat level, often in terms of "Scoville Heat Units" (SHU). But what exactly does that number mean? The Scoville Scale is the standard measure of heat in chili peppers and hot sauces, and it plays an essential role in helping consumers understand the fiery intensity of their favorite spicy products.

By now you’ve probably heard of the Scoville Scale. That’s the scale that was invented more than 100 years ago to measure the pungency of hot peppers. It’s named after a man named Wilbur Scoville, who first came up with the scale in 1912.

Betcha didn’t know you could eat the entire chili pepper! Your love for chili peppers doesn’t need to stop at the juicy pepper. There are many pepper varieties where you can safely eat the leaves and add them to your favorite dishes.