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Does anyone else think the SHU measurement is lacking?

Taverner

Taverner

I mean think of a Moruga Scorpion pepper. The heat on those is searing, in a white lightning sort of way.
 
Habaneros, however, tend to hit the center of your tongue more than Morugas, which seem to consume the whole tongue
 
Thai peppers seem to hit the sides of your tongue more
 
And a hot jalepeno's heat tends to almost have savory characteristics
 
 
 
Well I think the capsaicinoids are different in every pepper causing different kinds of burns to everyone. For me.. Habs attack my tongue like crazy. But for someone else it might be different. Also some burns might feel more intense with some pods that are lower SHUs then higher SHU pods but I think it's just the different capsaicinoids in all the pods
 
There are six different kinds of capsciacinoids, and the SHU only counts cap itself, at 16 million SHU pure. There is also dihydrocapsciacin, at 15 million, nordihydrocapsciacin(sp?) at 9.1 million, and capsiate at 16 thousand. It's likely that the peach ghost scorp has a high amount of dihydro cap in it, which is why it tastes hotter than reaper but is only 900k scovilles. Still though, SHU is the best measurement system, because otherwise you wouldn't have anything to base it on.
 
Frankie Ruiz said:
Well I think the capsaicinoids are different in every pepper causing different kinds of burns to everyone. For me.. Habs attack my tongue like crazy. But for someone else it might be different. Also some burns might feel more intense with some pods that are lower SHUs then higher SHU pods but I think it's just the different capsaicinoids in all the pods
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this exactly
 
…. and just as some people are "high tasters" (have more taste buds than average) while some are "low tasters" (clearly have less than average), each individual may have more or fewer receptors to capsaicin, meaning they're going to feel the heat more or less than others. 
 
geeme said:
…. and just as some people are "high tasters" (have more taste buds than average) while some are "low tasters" (clearly have less than average), each individual may have more or fewer receptors to capsaicin, meaning they're going to feel the heat more or less than others. 
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Sounds like my problem.
 
The SHU test is accurate for what it is testing for. That being said, you may feel a particular chili is hotter to you than one that is clearly of a higher SHU rating.
 
The SHU we have now isn`t really much to do with the original SHU, as defined by Wilbur Scoville.
 
Those days it`s done using a HPLC separation method and the mass of capsaicin is determined from a standard curve constructed using standard amounts. The conversion to Scoville heat units is done by multiplying the capsaicin content in pepper dry weight by the coefficient corresponding to the heat value for pure capsaicin, which is 1.6 × 10 to the power 7. 
 
So there are a number of issues with this method. First of all only capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin are measured. They are extracted from dried peppers, without the use of an internal control and with zero control for the effects of drying. I could go on about how badly the analyses are performed, but I won`t. Suffice it to say I`m not a big believer in the SHU data for most peppers. The HPLC methodology is sound, it`s just the labs doing it are rank amateurs. 
 
Geeme is also 100% correct about different peppers affect different people differently and that some people have more or less receptors than the norm. Anecdotal evidence, i.e. how hot you or I might think a peppers is, isn`t real evidence. I happen to be destroyed by the Brain Strain, but not the Primo. Others don`t think it is nearly as hot as the Primo. Nobody is wrong, we are just different.
 
Nigel says it best.
 
Its also how we react to pain, some people hate the throat burn, but dont mind the mouth burn ect. To me i hate the stabbing tongue feeling, although i dont mind throat or mouth burn at all.
 
It still is a good measure for the general population, if some looked it up they can see that the difference between a jalapeno and a habanero is vast ect
 
All six types of capsaicinoids should be measured otherwise its just an inaccurate, meaningless number.
I used to check SHU ratings before, not anymore. I rather get some pods and try them! :party:
 
Zoli said:
All six types of capsaicinoids should be measured otherwise its just an inaccurate, meaningless number.
I used to check SHU ratings before, not anymore. I rather get some pods and try them! :party:
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While I totally agree, It would be a rather clumsy and confusing rating imo 100,00/2,000,000/100/10,000/100,000/10,000 doesn't quite have the same ring to it  :P
 
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