Currie has been growing chili peppers since the 1980s. In 2003, he founded a company that sells hot sauces and salsas. At his farm, he crossbreeds different species of pepper, hoping they’ll reproduce to create new varieties—each one hotter than the last.
Whenever Currie creates a new super-spicy pepper, he sends it to a nearby lab. There, chemists analyze the fruit. As they work, the scientists wear gloves and goggles to avoid eye and skin irritation from the pepper’s oils. They use a special technique to precisely measure the amount of capsaicin in the new variety. The more capsaicin a pepper contains, the hotter it tastes. These measurements are then converted into Scoville heat units, or SHUs, which rank the spiciness of the peppers (see Off the Charts, left).
This past October, Pepper X was named the world’s hottest pepper by Guinness World Records. It can be up to 1 million SHUs hotter than the previous record holder, the Carolina Reaper, which was also bred by Currie. While Currie is proud of his peppers’ record-breaking status, he also wants people to eat them responsibly.
Too much capsaicin at once can have serious side effects. “The burning sensation can be very painful,” says Terry. “And sometimes, it can be difficult to breathe, especially if capsaicin gets in the windpipe.” Other side effects can include stomach cramps, vomiting, and headaches. Thankfully, even in the case of eating extremely spicy peppers, “medical emergencies are uncommon,” says Terry.
Still, Currie says that his superhot peppers aren’t meant for the average person to eat in large amounts—and they’re definitely not for kids or teens. “My peppers are not pleasant,” he warns. “If you have an undiagnosed allergy or heart condition, they can cause you to die, plain and simple.”
Concerns about young people getting hurt have even led to some ultra-spicy products being discontinued. “I’d suggest avoiding very spicy food until you’re older,” says Terry. “Start with small amounts and low heat levels, then increase slowly. Chew and swallow carefully to avoid getting capsaicin in your airways. Finally, never do a ‘challenge’ to prove anything to anybody.” Eating spicy food should be enjoyable, says Terry. If the heat is unbearable, it’s time to switch to something milder.