How to Choose an Indian Chilli Grade
Pick an Indian chilli by whether you need heat or colour: Guntur Sannam for heat, Byadgi for colour, Teja for both.
How do I choose an Indian chilli grade?
Decide whether you are buying heat or colour. Guntur Sannam S4 gives heat (35,000-45,000 SHU, ASTA 100-120); Byadgi gives colour (ASTA 130-150, mild 8,000-15,000 SHU); Teja S17 (ASTA 110-130) offers both. Then contract on tested figures.
Match the grade to the job
| Grade | SHU | ASTA colour | Buy it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guntur Sannam S4 | 35,000-45,000 | 100-120 | Heat |
| Teja S17 | High (not stated) | 110-130 | Heat and colour |
| Byadgi | 8,000-15,000 | 130-150 | Colour |
Then specify it properly
Heat and colour move independently, so name the one that decides your product and write it as a tested minimum. A colour extractor writes a minimum ASTA; a hot-sauce or masala buyer writes a minimum SHU. Guntur, Asia's largest chilli market, sets the world red-chilli price and is the reference point for Sannam S4.
Do not contract on reputation. Teja is widely called very hot but no verified SHU is stated here, so require a lab result on the actual lot before you commit.
Frequently asked
Which Indian chilli is best for colour without much heat?
Byadgi. It runs high ASTA colour (130-150) at low heat (8,000-15,000 SHU), which is why colour extractors and paprika-oleoresin buyers use it.
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Start a sourcing enquiry →What this page does not tell you
- Teja S17 SHU
- No verified Scoville figure for Teja is stated; the table marks it as not stated. Require a lab test on the lot.
Reviewed 16 July 2026.
Sources
- Spices Board of India — Export statistics· Tier 1, retrieved 2026-07-16