Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
"Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test done
by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said that its
heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure capsaicin is
supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how on earth they
measured that?
--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm *not*

On Oct 27, 9:18*am, James Silverton >
wrote:
> Today's "word of the day" *in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test done
> by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said that its
> heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure capsaicin is
> supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how on earth they
> measured that?

They could purify, then dilute, but capsaicin is just one of 5 related
compounds. Different chilies have different balances of them, and
that can give their "heat" a different character. I chilies to be a
food group.

> --
>
> James Silverton, Potomac
>
--Bryan

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:46 -0500, Sqwertz >
wrote:

>On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:18:57 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>
>> Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
>> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test done
>> by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said that its
>> heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure capsaicin is
>> supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how on earth they
>> measured that?
>
>The Scoville test involves diluting a small measure of the pepper
>extract with sugar water to the point where heat is barely detectable
>and undetectable by a panel of 5 tasters. The number of small units
>of water (equaling the unit of the pepper extract) required is it's
>Scoville rating.
>
>If what you quoted is what the OED says, then you need to contact them
>to get it right. Or learn how to interpret English.
>
>(alt.usage.english newsgroup fixed)
>
>-sw

OED:

a. Scoville test n. (also Scoville organoleptic test) a
subjective measurement of the pungency of a chilli pepper, based on
the detectability of pungency in a solution made from the pepper in
question.

b. Scoville unit n. (also Scoville heat unit) (originally) the
factor by which the chilli-pepper solution is diluted in the
Scoville test, used as a measure of the relative pungency of the
pepper; (hence) an equivalent number derived from an objective test,
esp. the use of gas chromatography to measure the quantity of
capsaicin in a pepper.

That seems to match your description of the Scoville test.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

On 10/27/2011 12:35 PM, Peter Duncanson (BrE) wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:46 -0500, >
> wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:18:57 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>>
>>> Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
>>> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test done
>>> by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said that its
>>> heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure capsaicin is
>>> supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how on earth they
>>> measured that?
>>
>> The Scoville test involves diluting a small measure of the pepper
>> extract with sugar water to the point where heat is barely detectable
>> and undetectable by a panel of 5 tasters. The number of small units
>> of water (equaling the unit of the pepper extract) required is it's
>> Scoville rating.
>>
>> If what you quoted is what the OED says, then you need to contact them
>> to get it right. Or learn how to interpret English.
>>
>> (alt.usage.english newsgroup fixed)
>>
>> -sw
>
> OED:
>
> a. Scoville test n. (also Scoville organoleptic test) a
> subjective measurement of the pungency of a chilli pepper, based on
> the detectability of pungency in a solution made from the pepper in
> question.
>
> b. Scoville unit n. (also Scoville heat unit) (originally) the
> factor by which the chilli-pepper solution is diluted in the
> Scoville test, used as a measure of the relative pungency of the
> pepper; (hence) an equivalent number derived from an objective test,
> esp. the use of gas chromatography to measure the quantity of
> capsaicin in a pepper.
>
> That seems to match your description of the Scoville test.
>

Interesting that you caught my mistaken post to a.u.eglish. I was not
really doing a direct quote for r.f.cooking, just going by memory but
the number "15,000,000" did come from one of the OED quotes. I just
wondered how the number could possibly be assigned to capsaicin.

--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm *not*

On 27/10/2011 10:18 AM, James Silverton wrote:
> Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test done
> by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said that its
> heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure capsaicin is
> supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how on earth they
> measured that?



I can offer a tip on the above. When a recipe calls for 2 large hot red
peppers to make red pepper jelly, and you cannot find those, 4 little
Scotch Bonnets is not a good substitute. Not only was it hot as blazes,
but the pot boiled over and the mixture burned and sent up plumes of
smoke that were like mace. I could have quelled a prison riot in my kitchen.

On 10/27/2011 2:58 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> I can offer a tip on the above. When a recipe calls for 2 large hot red
> peppers to make red pepper jelly, and you cannot find those, 4 little
> Scotch Bonnets is not a good substitute. Not only was it hot as blazes,
> but the pot boiled over and the mixture burned and sent up plumes of
> smoke that were like mace. I could have quelled a prison riot in my
> kitchen.

Reminds me of the time I decided to grind my own horse-radish. <vbg>

Even now, the story brings tears to my eyes!

George L

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:58:10 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 27/10/2011 10:18 AM, James Silverton wrote:
>> Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
>> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test done
>> by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said that its
>> heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure capsaicin is
>> supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how on earth they
>> measured that?
>
>
>
>I can offer a tip on the above. When a recipe calls for 2 large hot red
>peppers to make red pepper jelly, and you cannot find those, 4 little
>Scotch Bonnets is not a good substitute. Not only was it hot as blazes,
>but the pot boiled over and the mixture burned and sent up plumes of
>smoke that were like mace. I could have quelled a prison riot in my kitchen.

Thank you for the tip .. .duly noted. ;o) I have no objection to
learning from someone else's experience.
Janet US

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:50:58 -0400, James Silverton wrote:

> On 10/27/2011 12:35 PM, Peter Duncanson (BrE) wrote:
>> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:46 -0500, >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:18:57 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>>>
>>>> Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
>>>> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test
>>>> done by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said
>>>> that its heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure
>>>> capsaicin is supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how
>>>> on earth they measured that?
>>>
>>> The Scoville test involves diluting a small measure of the pepper
>>> extract with sugar water to the point where heat is barely detectable
>>> and undetectable by a panel of 5 tasters. The number of small units
>>> of water (equaling the unit of the pepper extract) required is it's
>>> Scoville rating.
>>>
>>> If what you quoted is what the OED says, then you need to contact them
>>> to get it right. Or learn how to interpret English.
>>>
>>> (alt.usage.english newsgroup fixed)
>>>
>>> -sw
>>
>> OED:
>>
>> a. Scoville test n. (also Scoville organoleptic test) a
>> subjective measurement of the pungency of a chilli pepper, based
>> on the detectability of pungency in a solution made from the
>> pepper in question.
>>
>> b. Scoville unit n. (also Scoville heat unit) (originally) the
>> factor by which the chilli-pepper solution is diluted in the
>> Scoville test, used as a measure of the relative pungency of the
>> pepper; (hence) an equivalent number derived from an objective
>> test, esp. the use of gas chromatography to measure the quantity
>> of capsaicin in a pepper.
>>
>> That seems to match your description of the Scoville test.
>>
>>
> Interesting that you caught my mistaken post to a.u.eglish. I was not
> really doing a direct quote for r.f.cooking, just going by memory but
> the number "15,000,000" did come from one of the OED quotes. I just
> wondered how the number could possibly be assigned to capsaicin.

Step 1: purify a ml of capsacin.
2: mix into 1 liter of water
3: taste It will taste somewhat hotter than an Jalapeno
( 15000 Scoville units.)
4: mix 1ml of this solution into 1 liter water and taste. Decide you
can still taste the hotness.
5: mix 1 ml of this solution with 14 ml water (1 ml solution + 14 ml
water gives 1 in 15 solution)

Decide that you can taste a 1 in 14 solution and not a 1 in 15
solution.
Therefore 1/1000 x 1/1000 x 1/15 = 1/15,000,000

On 10/30/2011 11:18 AM, Doug Smith wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:50:58 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>
>> On 10/27/2011 12:35 PM, Peter Duncanson (BrE) wrote:
>>> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:46 -0500, >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:18:57 -0400, James Silverton wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Today's "word of the day" in the online Oxford English Dictionary is
>>>>> "Scoville" as in the heat measure for peppers. This was once a test
>>>>> done by diluting capsaicin solution until a board of tasters said
>>>>> that its heat reached the level of the pepper in question. Pure
>>>>> capsaicin is supposed to be 15,000,000 Scoville units. I wonder how
>>>>> on earth they measured that?
>>>>
>>>> The Scoville test involves diluting a small measure of the pepper
>>>> extract with sugar water to the point where heat is barely detectable
>>>> and undetectable by a panel of 5 tasters. The number of small units
>>>> of water (equaling the unit of the pepper extract) required is it's
>>>> Scoville rating.
>>>>
>>>> If what you quoted is what the OED says, then you need to contact them
>>>> to get it right. Or learn how to interpret English.
>>>>
>>>> (alt.usage.english newsgroup fixed)
>>>>
>>>> -sw
>>>
>>> OED:
>>>
>>> a. Scoville test n. (also Scoville organoleptic test) a
>>> subjective measurement of the pungency of a chilli pepper, based
>>> on the detectability of pungency in a solution made from the
>>> pepper in question.
>>>
>>> b. Scoville unit n. (also Scoville heat unit) (originally) the
>>> factor by which the chilli-pepper solution is diluted in the
>>> Scoville test, used as a measure of the relative pungency of the
>>> pepper; (hence) an equivalent number derived from an objective
>>> test, esp. the use of gas chromatography to measure the quantity
>>> of capsaicin in a pepper.
>>>
>>> That seems to match your description of the Scoville test.
>>>
>>>
>> Interesting that you caught my mistaken post to a.u.eglish. I was not
>> really doing a direct quote for r.f.cooking, just going by memory but
>> the number "15,000,000" did come from one of the OED quotes. I just
>> wondered how the number could possibly be assigned to capsaicin.
>
> Step 1: purify a ml of capsacin.
> 2: mix into 1 liter of water
> 3: taste It will taste somewhat hotter than an Jalapeno
> ( 15000 Scoville units.)
> 4: mix 1ml of this solution into 1 liter water and taste. Decide you
> can still taste the hotness.
> 5: mix 1 ml of this solution with 14 ml water (1 ml solution + 14 ml
> water gives 1 in 15 solution)
>
> Decide that you can taste a 1 in 14 solution and not a 1 in 15
> solution.
> Therefore 1/1000 x 1/1000 x 1/15 = 1/15,000,000
>

It seems a rather circular and subjective method but it might work. As I
mentioned, it probably doesn't matter since hotness of peppers is now
assigned on a basis of the amount of capsaicin determined by gas
chromatography.