1/4Photo: Jeffrey Collins/AP/TT
It’s hotter than police pepper spray. When farmer Ed Corey tasted what has now entered the record books as the world’s strongest hot pepper, he was struck by “terrible convulsions.”
– You may feel like you are burning from the inside, says amateur farmer Eva Robild.
For a decade, the Carolina Reaper has been known as the world’s toughest chili pepper. But the red fruit gets its share – because Pepper
The perceived heatiness of Pepper
The former Carolina Worst Reaper measures an average of 1.64 million on the Scoville scale. Pepper spray is often found there, according to the Associated Press.
“Muscle strain”
Behind both the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X is an American chili enthusiast with the apt name Ed Currie. He has grown and hybridized hardy varieties in search of the hottest chilli and believes the new record holder gives “instant brutal heat”.
But when he tried Pepper X for the first time, his creation more than just made him feel warm inside.
-I felt hot for 3.5 hours. Then came the cramps, “Smokin’ Ed” tells the AP.
– Those cramps are terrible. I lay for an hour groaning in pain.
Burning in the ass
So far, only five people have eaten a full record amount of chili peppers. Eva Robild, a hobby grower and author of a book about chili peppers, wants to taste the X pepper — but just a bite.
-I love hot peppers, but I’m not one of those people who puts a whole fruit in their mouth. Then you can have an almost allergic reaction, where you feel as if you’re burning from the inside, she tells TT.
-If you eat too much chili pepper, it will quickly come out again. The body triggers a vomiting reflex, and if it persists, you can easily get stomach pain. If it comes out naturally, it stings just as much in the butt.
Challenges and competitions involving eating extremely hot peppers are popular, especially on social media. Corey describes most people as stupid and advises not to go straight to the worst, but first to build tolerance.
– People want to climb the highest mountain in the world and eat the strongest chili pepper in the world. “I think a lot of people think testing is great,” Robild says.
-He’s a bit macho, but there are also many women who are chili lovers. You get an adrenaline rush when you eat such a powerful chili pepper, and if you like it, you’ll want more. But if you try it for the first time in your life, I recommend a small piece.
No seeds
Ed Currie is tight-lipped about his discovery and will not currently sell seeds from Pepper X. He will, however, sell a chili-flavored sauce.
Corey wants to build a chili sauce empire and believes he has been too generous with the Carolina harvester, which has received too much attention without protecting his discovery. Thousands of products are said to be using the name of the hot pepper variety without Curry’s permission.
The question is has the limit been reached with Pepper X? Probably not, according to Currie, who suggests he will continue trying to develop stronger varieties.
Trinidad and Tobago: Does the world need a stronger chili pepper?
-You’re welcome to grow jalapenos and other delicious hot pepper varieties, but you should let the nerds have fun, too, says Robild.
“Falls down a lot. Internet fanatic. Proud analyst. Creator. Wannabe music lover. Introvert. Tv aficionado.”
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