For years, Pepper X was nothing more than a whisper in the hot pepper community. People talked about it, speculated about its Scoville Heat scale, and debated whether it even existed in the first place. The problem was, nobody had actually seen it. No seeds, no pods, nothing had ever been made available to the public.
Some started calling it the “Bigfoot” of the chile world. It was supposed to be this record-breaking inferno in pepper form ever grown, yet nobody could get their hands on it? Hardcore pepper growers and enthusiasts kept asking the same questions: If it really was as scorching as claimed, why wasn’t anyone outside its creator’s circle able to test it? Why weren’t seeds available like other hottest peppers in the world?
Then, in 2023, Guinness World Records officially crowned Pepper X as the most intense chili on the planet. But instead of putting the debate to rest, that announcement only fueled even more controversy. How can a pepper claim the world record if nobody outside of one company has been able to verify it? It has been openly questioned whether Pepper X really hits the 2.693 million Scoville mark, or if other peppers might secretly be just as hot, if not hotter.
👉Also Read: Exploring the Spicy World of “Superhot”: A Dive into the World’s Hottest Peppers and Their Culinary Uses
Is Pepper X Truly the Undisputed King of Heat?
Before we get into the controversy, let’s get some facts out of the way. Three samples of Pepper X were officially tested by Winthrop University in South Carolina. Only one recorded 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs), the other two were found below 2.2 SHUs. Their chemistry lab conducted high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) testing to measure the pepper’s SHUs. This is the standard method used to assess capsaicinoid (spicy compound) concentration in chili peppers.
The process followed all the regular HPLC procedures for measuring chili heat:
- Samples were dried and ground into pepper powder.
- Capsaicinoid compounds were extracted using a solvent.
- The extracts were analyzed using HPLC (which quantifies capsaicin and related compounds).
- The results were then converted into Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
Guinness World Records then reviewed and certified the results before officially recognizing Pepper X as the new record holder.
The Controversy
Now, this is where the issue started: unlike Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion peppers, Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper), and pretty much all the other previous record holders, Pepper X has never been publicly available as seeds, pods, or plants. There has been no independent third-party testing by chili growers, universities, or professionals in the spice industry. The only data people have managed to access is provided by Winthrop University and Pepper X’s creator.
And nothing fuels skepticism in this era than a lack of transparency. Traditionally speaking, it is standard practice for award-winning peppers to be grown, tested, and verified by multiple sources, including competitive pepper breeders, independent researchers, and chili-eating contestants. Carolina Reaper pepper had its heat verified by dozens of third parties, plus seeds were publicly available before Guinness ever confirmed the record.
Pepper X has become a brand of condiment instead of a widely accessible pepper variety. While we see its name on hot sauce bottles, the actual pepper itself remains out of reach. Until Pepper X is available in its raw form for independent cultivation and testing, its true place among the world’s hottest peppers remains a topic of debate.
👉Also Read: Spicy Holiday: Elevate Your Turkey with Ghost Pepper Marinade
Best Pepper X Alternatives for Flavor & Heat
Pepper X measures almost 2.7 million on the Scoville scale, but there are so many other powerhouses of spicy peppers that come close, which you can actually buy in the form of seeds, whole pods, powders, flakes, or purees from Magic Plant Farms.
Our bestsellers are Carolina Reaper (1.64M–2.2M SHUs), Trinidad Moruga Scorpion (1.2M–2M SHUs), 7 Pot Douglah (1.85M SHUs), and 7 Pot Brain Strain (1.35M–1.9M SHUs). We work with expert farmers based across Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East to grow chiles in the regions where they naturally thrive. Each batch is then processed in our own climate-controlled facility in Johnson City, Tennessee, within the Tri-Cities area of Northeastern Tennessee.
Magic Plant Farms provides bulk supply solutions for:
- Hot sauce form and condiment companies
- Snack food manufacturers
- Spice and seasoning suppliers
- Commercial producers of sauces, marinades, and dressings
- Packaged and frozen food companies
- Processed meat brands
- Pepper extract or capsaicin producers
- Fermented food companies
- Ethnic cuisine food brands
- Ghost kitchens (delivery-only restaurants)
- BBQ/smokehouse restaurants
- Catering services
- Fast food and quick service restaurants
- Craft beer breweries
- Taco & Tex-Mex restaurants
- Gourmet and specialty grocery stores
No matter the size of your operation, we guarantee a steady supply of GMP, HACCP, and SQF-certified superhot peppers in whatever form you want, throughout the year. Get in touch with our team to learn more.
