Thanks To Wilbur Scoville, We Know How Hot Chili Peppers Are

Game Google Doodle (Art by Olivia When/Google Doodle)

JAKARTA - Maybe no one will ever know to what extent a person is able to tolerate the spicy taste of a chili. Likewise a powerful way to get rid of the spicy effect.

Until finally Wilbur Scoville, a pharmacology professor from Bridgeport, Connecticut, determined to measure the level of spiciness of a chili. The research was written in a scientific journal entitled The Art of Cumpounding.

In his work, Scoville also mentions that drinking a glass of milk can ward off the spicy taste that comes from peppercorns. Through his organoleptic test, he then measured the spiciness level of peppers, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, and bhut jolokia or ghost papper.

Later the research method was known as the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale which became the basic reference for the level of spiciness of chilies. To find a formula for the level of hotness of chilies, Scoville must extract capsaicin levels from peppers at a certain dose that is acceptable to the human body.

SHU was then developed as a reference in measuring liquid chromatography in the human sense of taste. Likewise, the level of spiciness that can be tolerated by the body.

Illustration of the game Google Doodle Scoville Heat Unit (Google Doodle)

Where jalapenos chilies generally have a spiciness level ranging from 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. Until the Indian ghost pepper which has a spiciness scale of 1 million SHU and was named the hottest chili in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2007.

Then followed by Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Carolina Reaper who hold the record for the hottest chili in the world, with a spiciness value of 1.5 million Scoville Heat Units. When compared, the average spiciness level of Indonesian cayenne pepper ranges from 30,000-50,000 SHU.

Endurance Challenge

The level of spiciness that Wilbur Scoville created inspired Google Doodle, creating an interactive game by fighting the heat from a chili. The game was first featured by Google on the anniversary of Scoville's 151st birthday.

Through the Google Doodle blog page, players must beat a wide variety of chilies from paprika to Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper. Where Google users will act as ice cream against the spicy taste of chilies eaten by Wilbur Scoville.

Even though it is painful, in fact the spicy taste of chilies has many benefits. Mentioned in the book Tasty by John McQuaid, the Scoville spiciness scale unit at that time was used as a reference for measuring the effectiveness of a pain-relieving cream.

Where the basic ingredients of the cream are taken from the capsaicin compound. The active ingredients contained in chili. With the right dose, the burning sensation of capsaicin which is processed in the mouth makes the body produce endorphins as active pain relieving compounds.