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The Indian military has cooked up a new weapon in the fight against terrorism: the world's hottest chilli. Skip related content
Related photos / videos Enlarge photo The thumb-sized "bhut jolokia", which is usually used to cure stomach troubles, will be employed to pepper suspects with the tear gas-like grenades.

Researchers have trialled the flaming hot chilli and found a way to harness the power of a vegetable which is more than 125,000-times spicier than a jalapeno.

Troops will now use the bhut jolokia - also known as "ghost chilli" - to smoke out insurgents.

The chilli-powered grenades were declared "fit for use" by defence officials after trials at the country's Defence Research and Development Organisation.

"This is definitely going to be an effective nontoxic weapon because its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hide-outs," said RB Srivastava, the director in charge of the research.

Trials are also on to produce bhut jolokia-based aerosol sprays to be used by women against attackers and for the police to control and disperse mobs.

The bhut jolokia, which is grown and eaten in India's northeast for its taste, was crowned the world's hottest chilli by Guinness World Records in 2007.

The judges measured more than 1,000,000 Scoville units, the scientific measurement of a chilli's spiciness.

Classic Tabasco sauce ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units, while jalapeno peppers measure anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000.

They are extremely hot, I wouldn't fancy breathing in the fumes from some.
I've got some seedlings in my greenhouse, I'll just use them for cooking or sauce making.  :D

I was grinding up some dried chillies the other day, as we'd run out of my preserved ones, and got a lungful of what was in the blender. Awful!

they also paint it on fences to keep elephants out I think

on the domestic front, it's a good thing to stop you from picking your nose whilst preparing food

WOW

Im growing these this year, think I had better handle them with care  :o

I never handle those chillies without gloves...they are leathal..
I was only reminded month ago how hot they are..and I only handled few seeds when sowing  them..
my hands and face were burning few days afterwards :o ::) and so was hubbies..as I touched kettle without washing hands..just a quick cuppa... ::)
Later on he did the brew... ;D

Beware the 'Burning Ring of Fire' the day after eating them!

I remember getting chilli in my eyes when I was at college; it was agony. I think I've developed some tolerance now as I seem to be able to cope with the stuff.

I ate one by accident (see previous thread) in a mix of up varieties. This was in a curry (huge pot and 1 chilli). It was unbelievable!