Oregon university develops two hot peppers that aren't very hot

(OCTOBER 10, 2024) Oregon State University has made two new types of habanero peppers.  One is called "Notta Hotta" (like "not hot"). The other is called "Mild Thing." 

They have the same fruity and flowery taste as regular habaneros. However, they are not as spicy. Many chefs were surprised. They expected the peppers to be very hot.

The peppers took 25 years to develop. Jim Myers studies vegetables at the university. He worked hard to make them. He wanted to keep the good taste. He wanted to make the peppers less spicy. He also wanted to make them easier to grow in cooler places.

Notta Hotta is a longer, smoother pepper that can grow in many climates. Mild Thing is a little rougher and works better in the Pacific Northwest. These peppers are not very hot. They have a Scoville score of only 500 to 1,000. Normal habaneros are much hotter.

Now the university is working with companies so people can buy seeds next year. Many people, including chefs, are excited to try these new peppers in different dishes.