How hot the pepper is to talk
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Some people are sensitive to spicy food, while others aren't afraid of it at all. Some even prefer non-spicy options. With a wide range of peppers and chili products available on the market, choosing the right one that matches personal taste can be a real challenge for consumers. Additionally, for businesses, ensuring consistent flavor in mass-produced pepper products—especially when raw materials come from different regions and varieties—remains a major concern. Establishing clear standards for peppers and their products could help solve these issues by clearly indicating the level of spiciness.
This issue is now expected to be addressed. Recently, a reporter learned from the National Standards Committee that China will soon release quantifiable standards for hot peppers in May next year. But what exactly is the pungency of chili? How is the heat level measured in China? To find out, the reporter interviewed the person in charge of drafting the national standard for capsaicin determination and spicy degree expression (Standard No. 20067542-T-326), as well as Professor Xia Yanbin, Dean of the College of Food Science and Technology at Hunan Agricultural University.
In many countries, the Scoville method has long been used to classify the spiciness of peppers. Developed by American chemist Wilbur Scoville, this method involves extracting capsaicin from a given amount of pepper and diluting it until the spiciness disappears. The dilution factor determines the Scoville Heat Units (SHU). For example, bell peppers have a SHU of zero, while the world's hottest peppers can reach up to 200,000–300,000 SHU. The ISO has also recognized and established global standards for measuring spiciness, which are widely used in international pepper trade. In some countries, products are labeled with Scoville units to help consumers make informed choices.
China’s new standard, however, is tailored for local conditions. While it draws on international methods, it introduces more practical and user-friendly measures. Consumers will now be able to understand exactly how spicy a product is before purchasing, making it easier to choose based on personal preference.
Professor Xia explained that there are five types of capsaicinoids in peppers: capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nor-dihydrocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin, and tetrahydrocapsaicin. Among these, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are the most significant contributors to spiciness, accounting for about 90% of the total. Their concentration directly affects the heat level. Currently, the testing method involves multiplying the measured levels of these two compounds by a specific factor to determine the "degree" of spiciness, ranging from 0 to over 100. Most common chili products fall between 20 and 60 degrees, while the super-hot Hainan yellow chili can reach 80–90 degrees.
The sensory evaluation for pepper and chili products has already been completed, and the standard is expected to be finalized by May 2007. Once implemented, it will allow consumers to select products that best match their taste preferences.
The introduction of these standards is expected to boost the development of China's pepper industry. Over the past few decades, peppers have become one of the largest fruits and vegetables globally, with trade volume surpassing that of coffee and tea. There are over 1,000 varieties worldwide. In China, the pepper planting area covers 1.3 million hectares, with an annual production of 27 million tons and an output value of 27 billion yuan. About 500 million people enjoy spicy food, making up 40% of the population. China is now the world's largest producer and consumer of peppers, with domestic pepper and chili product trade exceeding 98 billion yuan annually.
However, the technological level of China’s pepper industry remains low. Apart from a national standard for dried chilies, there are no official standards for other pepper products. Even dried chilies lack a spiciness index. This lack of standards has hindered export trade and the development of processed pepper products. Many companies rely on direct tasting to assess the heat of raw chilies, leading to inconsistencies in product quality and flavor.
Professor Xia emphasized that spiciness not only influences consumer choices but also greatly affects the market value of pepper products. The hotter the product, the higher its price. The new national standards will help consumers make better choices, assist farmers in selecting suitable pepper varieties, promote technological advancements in farming, ensure product consistency, and support the growth of China's pepper exports.