Introducing the Hottest Chili Pepper in the World: Unveiling a Fiery Culinary Sensation

The Carolina Reaper, once known as the world’s hottest pepper, has been dethroned after 10 years. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognized the new hottest pepper as Pepper X, developed by South Carolina pepper expert Ed Currie. According to lab tests, Pepper X averages 2,693,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), while the Carolina Reaper averages 1,641,183 SHU and a typical jalapeno pepper scores around 5,000 SHU. Comparatively, police pepper spray measures around 1.6 million SHU, and bear spray scores around 2.2 million SHU, as reported by the AP.

Currie explains to the AP that Pepper X, a greenish-yellow pepper, was created by crossing the Carolina Reaper with a pepper he received from a friend in Michigan. Only five people, including Currie, have consumed a whole Pepper X. Currie describes his experience saying, “I felt the heat for three-and-a-half hours. Then the cramps came… I was laid out flat on a marble wall for approximately an hour in the rain, groaning in pain.” Currie, who turned to pepper cultivation after overcoming drug and alcohol addictions, claims that peppers provide a natural high, according to the BBC.

Currently, Pepper X is only available in sauces developed by Currie’s company, the PuckerButt Pepper Company. Currie mentions that he allowed others to grow Carolina Reapers, but he is now dealing with over 10,000 products that use the Carolina Reaper name without his permission. This time, Currie states that he will not release any Pepper X seeds until his children and employees have earned some profit from the pepper. He emphasizes that creating a new chili pepper breed is a time-consuming and lengthy process. Additionally, he hints at the possibility of an even hotter pepper than Pepper X, suggesting that the new record holder is “not the pinnacle,” as reported by the AP. (Read more hot peppers stories.)