Red Savina pepper
Encyclopedia
The Red Savina pepper is a cultivar
of the habanero chili (Capsicum chinense
Jacquin), which has been selectively bred
to produce hotter, heavier, and larger fruit.
Frank Garcia of GNS Spices, in Walnut, California
, is credited with being the developer of the Red Savina habanero. The exact method Garcia used to select the hottest strains is not publicly known.
The Red Savina is protected by the U.S. Plant Variety Protection Act
(PVP #9200255).
In February 2007, the Red Savina chili was displaced in Guinness World Records
as the hottest chili in the world by the Naga Jolokia pepper. The Red Savina held the record from 1994 until 2006.
Red Savina peppers were reported to a score up to 577,000 on the Scoville scale
, but this oft-quoted figure was never verified; a comparison experiment carried out by a group of researchers including Regents Professor Paul W. Bosland at the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University
in 2005 revealed an average heat level of 248,556 SHUs for Red Savina habaneros, compared to 357,729 SHUs for Orange Habaneros and 1,001,304 SHUs for Bhut Jolokia peppers.
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of the habanero chili (Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense , commonly known as "Yellow Lantern Chili", is a species of Chilli Pepper native to The Americas. C. chinense chillies are well-known for their exceptional heat.-Taxonomy:...
Jacquin), which has been selectively bred
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
to produce hotter, heavier, and larger fruit.
Frank Garcia of GNS Spices, in Walnut, California
Walnut, California
Walnut is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 29,172 at the 2010 census and its current mayor is Tom King, a former Detective from the Los Angeles Police Department....
, is credited with being the developer of the Red Savina habanero. The exact method Garcia used to select the hottest strains is not publicly known.
The Red Savina is protected by the U.S. Plant Variety Protection Act
Plant Variety Protection Act
The Plant Variety Protection Act of 1970 , 7 U.S.C. §§ 2321-2582, is an intellectual property statute in the United States. The PVPA gives breeders up to 25 years of exclusive control over new, distinct, uniform, and stable sexually reproduced or tuber propagated plant varieties...
(PVP #9200255).
In February 2007, the Red Savina chili was displaced in Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the hottest chili in the world by the Naga Jolokia pepper. The Red Savina held the record from 1994 until 2006.
Red Savina peppers were reported to a score up to 577,000 on the Scoville scale
Scoville scale
The Scoville scale is a measurement of the spicy heat of a chili pepper. The number of Scoville heat units indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Capsaicin is a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes.The scale is named after...
, but this oft-quoted figure was never verified; a comparison experiment carried out by a group of researchers including Regents Professor Paul W. Bosland at the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
in 2005 revealed an average heat level of 248,556 SHUs for Red Savina habaneros, compared to 357,729 SHUs for Orange Habaneros and 1,001,304 SHUs for Bhut Jolokia peppers.