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What is the spiciest pepper?

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As of 2025 the spiciest pepper in the world is Pepper X, which averages 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU). It supplanted the Carolina Reaper (with an average of 1.64 million SHU) in 2023. The ghost pepper, or bhut jolokia, is another former record holder (with an average of 1 million SHU).