The spicy heat of a chili pepper The number of Scoville heat units (SHU) indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Many hot sauces use their Scoville rating in advertising as a selling point. The scale is named after its creator, American chemist Wilbur Scoville. Pure capsaicin is rated highest at 15-16 million units while the bell pepper is at 0.
Home / Questions / If you have a sensitive stomach, then you should be well-versed with the Scoville scale. What does it measure?