New chilli could take world record, say producers

The "monster of chillies" could set a new world record, its British producer said today.

Anyone stupid enough to eat an Infinity chilli whole would be unable to stand still for more than a second and could expect to be laid out for several days.

It is so hot it is the equivalent of drinking acid and has the same potency as 50 Scotch Bonnets, according to Fire Foods in Grantham, Lincolnshire, which has spent two years developing the chilli.

It scores 1,176,182 on the Scoville scale, used to measure the heat in chilli peppers, outstripping the current record holder the Indian Bhut Jolokia, which peaks at 1,041,427 units.

Ordinary jalapeno peppers measure between just 2,500 and 5,000 on the Scoville scale.

Woody Woods, 37, from Fire Foods, said: "This is definitely the monster of chillies. This is quite a big jump on the previous record so we were quite surprised.

"If you ate one right now you couldn't work, it would be like putting acid in your mouth. I have had one and I would never do it again. People think it can't be that bad but it's phenomenal. It's at least 10 times hotter than a phall curry."

Asked why anyone would want to eat a chilli pepper so hot, Mr Woods added: "I think it's a British thing. Everyone wants the biggest, the strongest, the fastest car. Why have the third hottest chilli when you can have the hottest?

"There's an obsession with having the hottest. I put it down to human nature."

The Infinity chilli is now being sold in a sauce online, priced £6.50.