What is chili rating unit?

Chili rating units are a measurement of the pungency (spiciness or "heat") of chili peppers, as recorded in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). While the Scoville scale is the original method, modern techniques like High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) can more accurately quantify the concentration of capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for the heat.

Simplified chili ratings, often seen on food packaging or menus, provide a consumer-friendly representation of the heat level. These ratings are typically expressed as a number of chili peppers (often 1 to 5), with more peppers indicating a higher level of spiciness. While these ratings are subjective and vary between brands and restaurants, they offer a general guide for consumers to gauge the expected heat of a product. They are not a precise scientific measurement like SHU.