Nobody Has Eaten a Dragon's Breath Pepper Because It Will Kill You (2024)

EC: Nobody Has Eaten a Dragon's Breath Pepper Because It Will Kill You

Nobody Has Eaten a Dragon's Breath Pepper Because It Will Kill You (2)

Credit: Photo by Jerry Redfern via getty images

You may be all about the spice, but no matter how much you love trying spicy food, odds are that the new Dragon’s Breath pepper is too much heat to handle. No, that’s not a challenge. Like, don’t try this at home, because the new hottest pepper in the world could potentially be deadly. Hobby grower Mike Smith worked with Nottingham University to develop the Dragon's Breath pepper, which is currently in the midst of being confirmed as the world's spiciest by the Guinness Book of World Records. At 2.48 million Scoville heat units, the Dragon's Breath is more intense than pepper spray used in law enforcement and could burn up your airways if consumed.

The Scoville heat scale works like so: The chili is so powerfully spicy that if you had 2.48 million drops of water, and you added just one drop of Dragon's Breath's capsicum oil, you could still detect the heat. For reference, the US military’s pepper spray registers at about 2 million.

So why create such a lethal chili in the first place if it can’t be consumed? The Dragon's Breath pepper was developed to be used in medical treatment as an anesthetic, but if eaten, it could possibly cause the consumer to go into anaphylactic shock. "It's not been tried orally," Smith told the New York Daily Post. "I've tried it on the tip of my tongue and it just burned and burned. I spat it out in about 10 seconds. The heat intensity just grows... This was developed because a lot of people are allergic to [anesthetic], and this can be applied to the skin because it is so strong it numbs it.”

Yeah, so maybe don’t try to impress your friends with this one.

Nobody Has Eaten a Dragon's Breath Pepper Because It Will Kill You (2024)

FAQs

Will Dragon's Breath pepper kill you? ›

No, eating Dragon's Breath peppers or other superhot chili peppers will not kill you. Perform a search for these peppers and you will find results claiming potential death or anaphylactic shock from eating them, which is completely unfounded.

What is the hottest pepper in the world that can kill you? ›

The Dragon's Breath chile, now the world's spiciest pepper, clocks in at a hellish 2.48 million on the Scoville scale. That's 300 times hotter than a jalapeño, with enough capsaicin to singe one's airways, causing them to close up and cause anaphylactic shock.

Has anyone eaten a dragon's breath pepper? ›

Regardless, the Dragon's Breath is so hot that when it was displayed at London's annual Chelsea Flower Show, it was kept in a sealed container. Kelly Joel Myers probably knows just how potent the Dragon's Breath can be, but that didn't stop him from eating three of them last weekend.

Is the Dragon's Breath pepper real? ›

Dragon's Breath is a chili pepper cultivar that unofficially tested at 2.48 million Scoville units.

Can a ghost pepper kill you? ›

As we said, it only causes a painful burning sensation, but it isn't actually doing any damage. Nevertheless, it can hurt if you've got an underlying condition or if you eat an insane amount in one sitting. Candidly, ghost peppers can cause seizures, heart attacks, and even death.

What does dragon breath do to you? ›

Dragon Breath helps us clean the walls of the intestines. It loosens undigested particles that can clog things up, and helps move them out.

How hot is a death spiral pepper? ›

The Death Spiral is relatively mild by comparison, clocking in on the Scoville scale at about 1.3 million. Aside from the culinary uses — and bragging rights — associated with super-hot peppers, they also hold value for the amount of capsaicin they produce.

What is hotter than a ghost pepper? ›

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion: 2,000,000+ SHUs

With an average Scoville rating of 1,200,000 SHUs, the Moruga Scorpion easily outshines the Ghost pepper. The hottest individual peppers reached just over 2 million Scoville heat units, meaning that a single Scorpion could be twice as hot as a typical Ghost pepper!

What is the spiciest thing in the world 2022? ›

Carolina Reaper 2,200,000 SHU

The Carolina Reaper is once again officially the Worlds Hottest Pepper.

What happens if you eat a dragon's breath Chile? ›

At 2.48 million Scoville heat units, the Dragon's Breath is more intense than pepper spray used in law enforcement and could burn up your airways if consumed.

Are Dragon's Breath rounds lethal? ›

Is it lethal? The muzzle blast, at close range, probably is. But it's certainly not as lethal as a regular 12-gauge shell, which will separate you from your future in a split second, with no questions asked.

What is the hottest edible thing in the world? ›

Dragon's Breath Is the World's Hottest Pepper — And Eating It Could Kill You.

Do they still sell Dragon's Breath? ›

Order now and enjoy Dragon Breath with your family and friends.

Can the Carolina Reaper kill you? ›

No, eating Carolina Reapers or other superhot chili peppers will not kill you. However, it is possible to overdose on capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers hot. One would need to eat more than 3 pounds of reapers to achieve this.

Why can't you touch a ghost pepper? ›

The oils alone of the ghost pepper can cause extreme chili burn from one simple touch. It's so strong that just being near them can cause eye irritation. After handling – even with gloves – wash your hands thoroughly. It's best to be as protective as possible.

Can spicy burn fat? ›

Boost your metabolism

Much of the research on spicy foods focuses on capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their kick. Some of that research has found that capsaicin boosts the body's ability to break down fat and burn more energy. “It seems to rev up the body's fat-burning mechanisms,” says Lane.

Is Dragons Breath safe to eat? ›

It can also cause skin tissue damage, suffocation, and internal injuries. Numerous cases have also been reported about people ending up in the hospital after eating Dragon's Breath. Some have also complained of their teeth hurting and their tongue's bleeding.

Is dragon Breath edible? ›

Here's the info if you missed it: This Dragon's Breath celosia (Celosia plumosa) has to be one of the more gorgeous edible plants around. The leaves, like the other Celosia varieties, can also be eaten boiled or steamed. The leaves, tender stems ,and young flowers can also be used in vegetables and stews.

How hot is Satan's Kiss pepper? ›

Heat: Hot - 40,000-50,000 SHUs.

How hot is a ghost reaper? ›

The Reaper has been measured at more than two million Scoville heat units, the accepted scale for how hot peppers are. Measurements vary, but a really hot habanero might come in at 500,000 Scoville units.

What is chocolate ghost? ›

The Chocolate Ghost Pepper is believed to be a natural variant of the Red Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper) that stemmed from crossing with a 7 Pot Douglah. That lineage creates this fabulous pepper which can actually have pods HOTTER than the Ghost Pepper, with a taste all of its own.

What does eating a Carolina Reaper feel like? ›

You go, wow, that wasn't so bad. And then immediately, that vast amount of capsaicin takes over, and it's kind of like eating molten lava. That's the best way to put it,” Currie says. The heat is so bad, it feels good — Currie says Reaper consumers sometimes experience something like a runner's high.

What is stronger than Carolina Reaper? ›

Komodo Dragon Pepper

The Komodo Dragon Pepper came on the scene in 2015 poised to dethrone the Carolina Reaper as the hottest pepper in the world. A crow between a 7 Pot and a Ghost Pepper, the Komodo Dragon rivals the Reaper in terms of SHUs, but has a delicious fruity flavor that singes every one of your taste buds.

Does milk help with Carolina Reaper? ›

Coping with the fiery pain after competition can't be overlooked. Foster will eat dairy to immediately sooth the burn but noted that milk can only help so much when it comes to the Carolina Reaper. The active ingredient capsaicin is oil-based, so it won't dissolve with water, beer or even milk.

Can you eat a Carolina Reaper Raw? ›

It's never recommended to eat an entire Carolina Reaper pepper, but if you want to try a (small) bite, you should start by building up your heat tolerance. For the more novice, start with a jalapeno and slowly work your way up the Scoville scale. Once your tongue is tested, it's time to prepare for the Reaper itself.

What is the hottest pepper in the universe? ›

The Carolina Reaper is officially the Worlds Hottest Pepper as ranked by Guinness Book of World Records. It's hot, and by hot, we mean HOT! The Carolina Reaper can top-out at 2.2 Million SHU!

What is the hottest illegal pepper? ›

Currie stated that it is "two times as hot as the Carolina Reaper", which would make it the hottest pepper in the world with a Scoville scale of 3.18 million units, but this remains unconfirmed by Guinness World Records as of 2022.
...
Pepper X
Scoville scale3,180,000 SHU
6 more rows

What rank is the ghost pepper? ›

The ghost pepper ranks at 1,041,427 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) at the top end of the scale.

What is an Armageddon pepper? ›

Armageddon is the world's first F1 super-hot chili. It measures in at 1.2 million Scovilles. This gives a fantastic gardener advantage in terms of improved plant vigor and fruit uniformity. It is the earliest maturing super-hot variety, at least 14 days earlier than its competition.

What does ghost pepper look like? ›

Generally, a fully ripe ghost pepper measures in from 2.4 to 3.3 in long and 1.0 to 1.2 in wide. The peppers themselves are red, yellow, orange depending on their ripeness.

What pepper is hotter than dragons breath? ›

The difference between the two is that the Dragon's Breath rating is unofficial, while the Carolina Reaper has been confirmed as the world's hottest pepper.

Is ghost pepper a hybrid? ›

The ghost pepper, also known as bhut jolokia (which literally means 'Bhutan pepper' in Assamese), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of Capsicum chinense and Capsicum frutescens.

What is the newest hottest pepper? ›

Pepper X was created by Ed Currie, who created the recently dethroned Carolina Reaper. He says Pepper X clocks in at 3.18 million Scoville units, which would be positively excruciating to try to eat. Eating extremely hot peppers can be risky.

How much hotter is a Carolina Reaper than a ghost pepper? ›

The average ghost pepper is roughly 1 million on the Scoville scale, while the Carolina Reaper varies in heat from 1.5 to 2 million. While you won't be able to tell this difference without tasting them, there is a difference between the spiciness of the ghost pepper and the spiciness of the Carolina Reaper pepper.

Does Dragon's Breath hurt? ›

It warns against buying the product because it can cause: Severe damage to skin and internal organs if mishandled or accidently ingested due to the extremely low temperatures it can maintain. Breathing difficulty by inhaling the vapor, especially among individuals with asthma. Life-threatening injuries.

What does a dragon's breath pepper taste like? ›

The flavor and fragrance is reminiscent of ghost pepper family (very similar to carolina reaper).

Is dragon's breath poisonous? ›

It warns against buying the product because it can cause: Severe damage to skin and internal organs if mishandled or accidently ingested due to the extremely low temperatures it can maintain. Breathing difficulty by inhaling the vapor, especially among individuals with asthma. Life-threatening injuries.

What happens when you eat a dragon's breath? ›

The department issued the warning Friday saying due to the extreme low temperature it can maintain, liquid nitrogen, though non-toxic, can cause severe damage to the skin and internal organs if mishandled or accidentally ingested.

Is dragons Breath safe to eat? ›

It can also cause skin tissue damage, suffocation, and internal injuries. Numerous cases have also been reported about people ending up in the hospital after eating Dragon's Breath. Some have also complained of their teeth hurting and their tongue's bleeding.

Do they still sell dragon's Breath? ›

Order now and enjoy Dragon Breath with your family and friends.

What states are dragons breath illegal? ›

The sale of Dragon's breath rounds is illegal in several states (Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, and New York) and shipping may be restricted in other locations and cities due to their inherent fire hazard.

How far does Dragon's Breath shot? ›

Dragon's breath is a special type of incendiary-effect round for a 12 gauge shotgun. Dragon's breath consists primarily of magnesium pellets/shards. When the round is fired, sparks and flames can shoot out to about 100 ft.

Is dragon breath ammo legal in Texas? ›

(2)(a) Any person who manufactures, sells, offers for sale, or delivers any armor-piercing bullet or exploding bullet, or dragon's breath shotgun shell, bolo shell, or flechette shell is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

Is Dragons breath hotter than a Carolina Reaper? ›

Which is hotter, the Dragon's Breath or the Carolina Reaper? The Dragon's breath chili's heat level has been reported to be a scorching 2.48 million Scoville heat units (SHU), which would make it hotter than the Carolina Reaper, which offers 2.2 million SHU at its peak (a range from 1.4 million to 2.2 million SHU).

What does Dragon's Breath taste like? ›

Dragon's Breath is made using colorful cereal balls described as having a flavor similar to Froot Loops. The cereal is dipped in liquid nitrogen and served in a cup.

What age can you eat dragon Breath? ›

What is Dragon's Breath? Dragon's Breath is a fun new game for children ages 5 and up by HABA.

What is the world's hottest pepper? ›

The world's hottest pepper is the Carolina Reaper, grown by Ed Currie of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Ranked as the Guinness World Record's hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper peaked at about 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units, the scale used to rank how spicy peppers are.

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