How Scoville Units are measured

00

Dear Dave,
How are "Scoville Units" determined, and what is the method of taking this measurement? Is it done mechanically somehow?
Peace,
Dan

Hello Dan:
Scoville Heat Units were first developed in 1912 by pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville, who used human tasters for his Scoville Organoleptic Test. Now, High Performance Liquid Chromatography is used to determine parts per million of capsaicin, which is then converted into Scoville Heat Units. Pure capsaicin, a crystalline alkaloid, is 16 million SHU.
–Dave

00