What is the name of the world's hottest chili pepper as of 2023?

As of 2023, Pepper X was recognized as the world's hottest chili pepper. Guinness World Records announced Pepper X as the new record holder in October 2023, replacing the Carolina Reaper, which had held the title since 2013.

Pepper X was bred by Ed Currie, the same American pepper breeder who developed the Carolina Reaper. Guinness recorded Pepper X at an average of 2,693,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), far above the Carolina Reaper's certified average of 1,569,300 SHU. The Scoville scale measures pungency by estimating the concentration of capsaicinoids, the compounds responsible for chili heat.

A common mix-up is confusing the current record holder with earlier super-hot peppers such as the Ghost Pepper and Trinidad Moruga Scorpion. Another important qualification is that the title means the hottest pepper officially recognized by Guinness, not necessarily every pepper ever claimed or grown. Pepper X's status has also attracted discussion because independent testing has not universally confirmed the published figure.