Trinidad Moruga scorpion
{{short description|Exceptionally hot chili pepper}}
{{confuse|Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper}}
{{Infobox cultivar
| name = Trinidad Moruga scorpion
| image = Trinidad Moruga Scorpion.jpg
| breeder = Wahid Ogeer
| origin = Moruga, Trinidad and Tobago
| species = Capsicum chinense
| module = {{Infobox pepper
| embed = yes
| heat = Exceptionally hot
| scoville = 1,207,764 average
}} }}
The Trinidad Moruga scorpion (a cultivar of Capsicum chinense) is a chili pepper native to the village of Moruga, Trinidad and Tobago. In 2012, New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute identified the Trinidad Moruga scorpion as the hottest chili pepper at that time, with heat of 1.2 million Scoville heat units (SHUs).{{cite web|title=NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute names the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion hottest pepper on earth|url=http://newscenter.nmsu.edu/8341/|date=2012-02-13|author=Justin Bannister|access-date=2013-11-26}}
By 2017, according to Guinness World Records, the hottest pepper was the Carolina Reaper, with 1.6 million SHU.{{Cite web|url=http://guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/hottest-chili|title=Hottest chilli pepper|date=2017-08-11|website=Guinness World Records|access-date=2018-06-08}}
Overview
File:Trinidad moruga scorpion ripe ready to pick.jpg
The yellow cultivar of the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion was created by Wahid Ogeer of Trinidad.{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2016-02-13/cut-out-middleman-help-people-earn|title=Cut out the middleman, help people earn $$|publisher=The Trinidad Guardian|author=Charles Kong Soo|date=February 14, 2016|access-date=February 14, 2016}}{{cite book|author=Caz Hildebrand|title=An Anarchy of Chilies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ym-VswEACAAJ|year=2018|publisher=Thames & Hudson|isbn=978-0-500-02183-5}}{{rp|209}}
Paul Bosland, a chili pepper expert and director of the Chile Pepper Institute, said, "You take a bite. It doesn't seem so bad, and then it builds and it builds and it builds. So it is quite nasty."{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/chile-experts-trinidad-moruga-scorpion-hottest-222716938.html|title=Chile experts: Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is hottest|publisher=Associated Press|author=Susan Montoya Bryan|date=February 15, 2012|access-date=November 26, 2013}}
Aside from the heat, the Trinidad Moruga scorpion has a tender fruit-like flavor, which makes it a sweet-hot combination.{{cite web |url = http://asseenontvguys.com/ |title=Chile Pepper Institute studies what's hot |publisher=USA Today | work = Your life |first=Monika |last=Joshi |date=2012-03-11 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120314210249/http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/story/2012-03-11/Chile-Pepper-Institute-studies-whats-hot/53490214/1 |url-status = dead | archive-date = 2012-03-14}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chili peppers}}
{{Capsicum Cultivars}}
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