This is a response from Peter Dunn press representative from Warwick University to Dave De Witts Press person.It is also on Dave's website I am copying it to all blogs and forums.
"The University of Warwick School of Life Sciences has been asked by a number of growers to test Chillies to ascertain their heat level on the Scoville Scale. Each of those tests has been done as a commercial service to those clients and the University has not publicized or press released any of the results.
One of those clients recently asked us to test a Chilli they described as a "Naga Viper". We completed the test and gave the results to the client. We have since seen a number of media publish those results under headlines that this indicates that the tested Chilli is the hottest in the world.
We also understand from news reports that there has been some interest in having this published as a fact in the Guinness Book Records.
While we cannot release our full report on this Chilli without the commercial clients express permission, we can say that we feel that any result obtained from the Chilli sample that was tested by us should be viewed as only a good indicator that this Chilli could the conditions of entry into the Guinness Book of Records. The sample provided to us was relatively small and, while we do not know explicitly what the Guinness Book of Records testing requirements would be, we would expect that they would require at least one more test with a larger sample and possibly a corroborating test in another lab."
So there we have it. A test on a very small sample with no duplication and no third party testing. Problem with one test is it might be a fluke or doctored sample. Thats why any analytical science test needs to be done a few times to be official. And third party testing is letting someone else check your sample materials. The Naga Viper may not even exist. A Scorpion or another chile might just be called a Naga Viper. Who would know the difference? Only genetic testing could prove it. If this chile is real, then growing logs over the last 4 years or more should support it. And if the Naga Viper is a record then additional testing will prove it. Otherwise for now buyer beware. Don't let the Media make up your mind. Thats why God gave us a brain.
A special thanks to Warwick University for their honesty and Professionalism.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Naga Viper Chilli-We Think Have a Hotter Pepper
What I am going to tell you was being kept secret because we wanted to do this Record holder thing right. No buzz and no hype. Last year Dave De Witt approached me about Superhots. I sent him a Trinidad sample of Scorpion and he had it tested. This began it all. Dave De Witt contacted his friend of 20 yrs Marlin Bensinger who is North America's foremost expert on Capsaicin Extraction and testing. Marlin is the guy who major spice companies contact to do analytical testing on pungency before they go out and buy 500,000 pounds of Paprika or habaneros. He also works closely with those in the Pepper spray industry. Marlin also oversees some fields of chiles in New Mexico. Marlin has personal labs in both Texas and Florida. Now I don't have to tell you who Dave De Witt is I hope. Dave is the man behind this. Author of over 20 chile books Dave is the Pope of Peppers. My job was to supply plants and seeds of superhots to Marlin and also grow them here in San Diego for samples. I also got dried samples directly from Trinidad as well.
Now this was going to be kept quiet until we had application in at Guinness. Over this past growing season we have tested the following in multiple samples not just once like Gerald. Trinidad 7 Pot Red variety 4 types (elongated pod, Brain like pod, Sr strain and Jonah), Yellow 7 pod (THSC strain), Douglah, Naga Morich, Yellow Bhut, Chocolate Bhut, Trinidad Scorpion (similar to Butch T or small pod) and Moruga Scorpion. We did not test red Bhut Jolokia because Marlin has done that so many times for clients. And just for fun we wanted to know how Fatalii, Red Fatalii, Devil's Tongue (yellow, Red & Choc) came in even though we knew they were not contenders. Now we took pods during rainy and dry periods. Took pods from single plants and groups of plants. Made samples of single pods and composite of groups of pods. And of course ran multiple tests on each species. Now a little education here for you. When we all cut pods open or taste test them the strong smell that makes you cough or burn that hits you right away is not the true indicator of a peppers pungency. So if some of say for example that a Brain Strain or Douglah hit you the hardest it does not mean it's Capsaicin. It may be the terpines which are another compound in peppers. We still don't know about Terpines because the food industry does not care about them. Just thought I would throw this in.
Okay so now after Marlin does lots of testing we have had 4 varieties come ahead of the Bhut Jolokia. And they are......Douglah, 7 Pot Jonah, Scorpion and Moruga Scorpion. Out of these 4 we picked two that consistently had the highest heat levels. We then made a composite sample of both and re-tested and then sent a portion of that sample to a high end Agricultural lab in Texas as an Independent 3rd party test. This lab does pungency testing for the chile industry so they know what they are doing. Not just a University like Warwick that can HPLC. Any college can do this but does not have the experience and technology of the Capsaicin and Spice industry. We now wait for our results. If they are close to ours we submit. We are doing this the right way. And we are doing it at a higher standard than others before us did. So we are raising the standard. The single Naga Viper test at a College in England is spreading through the media. Now we must talk to the media instead of waiting. Dave De Witt knows I am writing to all of you. I ask that you tell others that a true test is going on. You can choose to support us. If you think I am pulling your leg go ahead and contact Dave De Witt directly or wait until he does a press release. Thank you!
Jim Duffy
P.S.I can give you these results...7 Pod Yellow 600,000-700,000, all 7 Pots except Jonah and Douglah 600,000-900,000, Yellow Bhut Jolokia over 400,000, Chocolate Bhut Jolokia over 800,000,
Chocolate Hab over 500,000, Devil's Tongue Yellow over 400,00, Devil's Tongue Red over 400,000, Devil's Tongue Chocolate over 500,000, Fatalii over 300,000, Fatalii Red Under 300,000, Naga Morich over 700,000
We did not test any red habanero types because we all know they average between 250-400,000. We did not test Red Bhut or Bih because Marlin knows the average is between 400,000 and 800,000. Sorry but it's rare for a Bhut to get near 1,000,000. On the average 7 Pots and Scorpions get closer or just above 1,000,00 more than any Bhut or Naga. And as far as I am concerned grow better and taste better too!
Now this was going to be kept quiet until we had application in at Guinness. Over this past growing season we have tested the following in multiple samples not just once like Gerald. Trinidad 7 Pot Red variety 4 types (elongated pod, Brain like pod, Sr strain and Jonah), Yellow 7 pod (THSC strain), Douglah, Naga Morich, Yellow Bhut, Chocolate Bhut, Trinidad Scorpion (similar to Butch T or small pod) and Moruga Scorpion. We did not test red Bhut Jolokia because Marlin has done that so many times for clients. And just for fun we wanted to know how Fatalii, Red Fatalii, Devil's Tongue (yellow, Red & Choc) came in even though we knew they were not contenders. Now we took pods during rainy and dry periods. Took pods from single plants and groups of plants. Made samples of single pods and composite of groups of pods. And of course ran multiple tests on each species. Now a little education here for you. When we all cut pods open or taste test them the strong smell that makes you cough or burn that hits you right away is not the true indicator of a peppers pungency. So if some of say for example that a Brain Strain or Douglah hit you the hardest it does not mean it's Capsaicin. It may be the terpines which are another compound in peppers. We still don't know about Terpines because the food industry does not care about them. Just thought I would throw this in.
Okay so now after Marlin does lots of testing we have had 4 varieties come ahead of the Bhut Jolokia. And they are......Douglah, 7 Pot Jonah, Scorpion and Moruga Scorpion. Out of these 4 we picked two that consistently had the highest heat levels. We then made a composite sample of both and re-tested and then sent a portion of that sample to a high end Agricultural lab in Texas as an Independent 3rd party test. This lab does pungency testing for the chile industry so they know what they are doing. Not just a University like Warwick that can HPLC. Any college can do this but does not have the experience and technology of the Capsaicin and Spice industry. We now wait for our results. If they are close to ours we submit. We are doing this the right way. And we are doing it at a higher standard than others before us did. So we are raising the standard. The single Naga Viper test at a College in England is spreading through the media. Now we must talk to the media instead of waiting. Dave De Witt knows I am writing to all of you. I ask that you tell others that a true test is going on. You can choose to support us. If you think I am pulling your leg go ahead and contact Dave De Witt directly or wait until he does a press release. Thank you!
Jim Duffy
P.S.I can give you these results...7 Pod Yellow 600,000-700,000, all 7 Pots except Jonah and Douglah 600,000-900,000, Yellow Bhut Jolokia over 400,000, Chocolate Bhut Jolokia over 800,000,
Chocolate Hab over 500,000, Devil's Tongue Yellow over 400,00, Devil's Tongue Red over 400,000, Devil's Tongue Chocolate over 500,000, Fatalii over 300,000, Fatalii Red Under 300,000, Naga Morich over 700,000
We did not test any red habanero types because we all know they average between 250-400,000. We did not test Red Bhut or Bih because Marlin knows the average is between 400,000 and 800,000. Sorry but it's rare for a Bhut to get near 1,000,000. On the average 7 Pots and Scorpions get closer or just above 1,000,00 more than any Bhut or Naga. And as far as I am concerned grow better and taste better too!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Naga Viper Chile-fact or Fiction
So why do I question this new Naga Viper Chile Heat record! First of all to make a 3 way strain like the Naga Viper we are looking at 6-10 yrs minimum. Gerald Fowler did not even know about Scorpions that far back. So first deception is this super hybrid. Second heat and dryness produce a stressed pepper that will have a higher heat rating. Gerald has a Greenhouse in Cumbria that is not climate controlled. Cumbria,UK is cool and wet even during summer. So not likely to produce an increase in heat. So how can he produce it?? Warwick is not a lab that is advanced in Capsaicin science. So could they spot something wrong when all they are testing for is heat?
So what are the ideal conditions for getting highest heat? The Southwest of course. Even native Trinidad will not produce the highest heat. Why? Too much humidity and rain. Happy peppers like that and will produce less pungency. Stressed peppers produce more pungency! So follow along with me on this. One of the foremost experts in North America in the Capsaicin industry is testing all of my peppers. I mean all! Nagas, Bhuts, 7 Pots, Scorpions, Devils Tongue etc. Sorry no Frankenstein Hybrids like the Naga Viper! Just plain old open-pollinated peppers we can all grow in our own yard. Testing will still be a few more months. I wanted to know where all the really hot peppers stand. And all were grown in the Southwest!
So wait for the results because soon you will know if Devil's Tongue is as hot as Yellow Bhut and so on. It will all be on my site. So be patient. Oh by the way it will be verified by Third Party testing and that testing will be from someone expert in Capsaicin with credibility. So questions you may ask yourself. How did Gerald Fowler create a Naga Viper Hybrid species years faster than an experienced Botanist? And where is the results from the Independent lab that knows Capsaicin to verify Gerald Fowler's scientific claim? Questions need to be answered before a Scientific record is awarded. I think we all can agree on that!
Yours Truly
Jim Duffy www.superhotchiles.com
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