Troy Primeaux, ’09, wants to create the world’s hottest pepper.
Peppers’ spiciness, or pungency, is measured in heat units on the Scoville scale, which corresponds to how much capsaicin oil they contain. A cayenne pepper is about 40,000 SHU, while a habanero chili is between 100,000 and 350,000 SHU.
Primeaux is aiming toward the top end of the scale. “It’s believed that the hottest peppers may be about 2 million units,” he said.
A self-professed “chilihead,” Primeaux holds a bachelor’s degree in sustainable agriculture/horticulture from UL Lafayette. He works for his alma mater, conducting research for the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
In 2005, Primeaux crossed two hot peppers, one from Malaysia and one from Trinidad. The result was a “gnarly-looking,” gleaming red pepper that packs a punch: about 1.4 million SHU. Its name, 7-Pot Primo, suggests that one pepper is hot enough to season seven pots of food.
Primeaux is going back to those original varieties to create a new hybrid. The plants will be grown in UL Lafayette facilities; he’ll seek a patent.
His new pepper may have a distinctive look.
Since the University’s school colors are red and white, Primeaux will attempt to create a hot, white pepper.
That’s dicey, because pungency is a dominant genetic trait in peppers, while color is recessive. “The heat typically takes a back seat to the color and vice versa,” he explained.
“I’m confident I can make my 7-Pot Primo hotter, but making it white could prove a challenge. It’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”