Ghost pepper
| Naga Jolokia | |
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| File:2006 10 11 Naga Jolokia Tezpur.jpg | |
| Fresh Naga Jolokia Peppers (whole and cut) | |
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| Subspecies: | C. c. cultivar Naga Jolokia
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| Trinomial name | |
| Capsicum chinense 'Naga Jolokia | |
| Ghost pepper | |
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| Heat | Peak (SR: 1,041,427) |
The Naga Jolokia is a chili pepper that occurs in Bangladesh. It was confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the hottest chili in the world, displacing the Red Savina. Disagreement has arisen on whether it is a Capsicum frutescens or a Capsicum chinense. The Indians claim it is a C. frutescens,[1] but the derived cultivar Dorset Naga was assessed as a C. chinense. Recent DNA tests have found both C. chinense and C. frutescens genes.[2]
It is also called Bih Jolokia in some places of Assam (Bih = 'poison', Jolokia = 'chili pepper'; in Assamese). Other names are Bhut Jolokia (Bhut = 'ghost', probably due to its ghostly bite or introduction by the Bhutias from Bhutan poison chili), Borbih Jolokia, Nagahari, Nagajolokia, Naga Morich, Naga Moresh and Raja Mirchi ('King of Chillies'). Regardless the moniker, they all refer to the same chili with the name Naga possibly stemming from the extreme hotness represented by the aggressive temperament of the warriors of neighbouring Naga Community.
Ripe Nagas measure 60mm to 85mm long and 25mm to 30mm 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 Naga.[3]
Scoville rating
In 2000, scientists at India's Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a rating of 855,000 units on the Scoville scale,[1][4] and in 2004 an Indian export company called Frontal Agritech obtained a rating of 1,041,427 units,[5] which would mean it is almost twice as hot as the Red Savina pepper and roughly equal to the similar-looking Dorset Naga,[6] which is derived from the Naga Jolokia. For comparison, pure capsaicin rates at 15,000,000–16,000,000 Scoville units.
In 2005 at New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute near Las Cruces, New Mexico, Regents Professor Paul Bosland found Naga Jolokia grown from seed in southern New Mexico to have a Scoville rating of 1,001,304 SHU by HPLC.[2][7]
In February 2007, Guinness World Records certified the Bhut Jolokia (Prof. Bosland's preferred name for the pepper) as the world's hottest chili pepper.[7][8]
The effect of climate on the Scoville rating of Naga Jolokia peppers is dramatic. A 2005 Indian study that compared the percentage availability of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in Naga 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 climate (similar temperatures but less humid, much lower rainfall).[9]
Characteristics
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References
- ^ a b Mathur R; et al. (2000). "The hottest chili variety in India" (PDF). Current Science. 79 (3): 287-8.
{{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help) - ^ a b Harald Zoschke, Dave DeWitt, Dr Paul Bosland (2007). "Saga Jolokia - Searching for the new "World's Hottest Chile"" (html). Retrieved 2007-01-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Barker, Catherine L. (2007), "Hot Pod: World's Hottest Chilies", National Geographic Magazine, vol. 2007, no. May, p. 21
- ^ "Indian Defence Research Laboratory" (html). 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
- ^ Scoville rating was obtained through HPLC analysis, unpublished claim. "Bih jolokia" (html). 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
- ^ Dorset Naga was developed as a hybrid of Naga Morich (another name for Naga Jolokia) by a couple in Dorset, England.
- ^ a b Shaline L. Lopez (2007). "NMSU is home to the world's hottest chile pepper" (html). Retrieved 2007-02-21.
- ^ "Indian chilli world's hottest: Guinness" (html). 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-18.
- ^ Tiwari A; et al. (2005). "Adaptability and production of hottest chili variety under Gwalior climatic conditions" (PDF). Current Science. 88 (10): 1545-6.
{{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help)