The Scoville scale is a measurement used to quantify the heat or spiciness of chili peppers and other spicy foods. It was developed in 1912 by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville. The scale measures the concentration of capsaicin, the chemical responsible for the heat, in a pepper. The higher the Scoville rating, the hotter the pepper. Scoville ratings are determined through taste tests, where a panel of tasters samples a pepper extract diluted in sugar water until the heat is no longer detectable. For example, a bell pepper has a Scoville rating of 0, while a Carolina Reaper can exceed 1.5 million Scoville heat units.