Many are claimed but only one is recognized. Capsicum chinense ‘Carolina Reaper’, scored 1,559,300 on the Scoville heat-measuring scale and has been ranked by Guinness World Records as the hottest pepper in the world since 7 August 2013. It was bred in Rock Hill, South Carolina by Ed “Smokin’” Currie who runs the Puckerbutt Pepper Company in Fort Mill.