Woman rubs chilli pepper seeds in her eyes after setting new world record

A 28-year-old Indian woman smeared chilli pepper seeds on her eyes after gobbling up 51 of the world's hottest chillies to earn a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

By Chris Hastings

Gordon Ramsay watched the young Indian woman in India's northeastern Assam state Photo: EUROPICS

Anadita Dutta Tamuly completed her eye watering challenge in just two minutes on Friday under the watchful eye of chef Gordon Ramsay, who was monitoring her record attempt.

She then shocked onlookers by smearing handfuls of seeds from the "ghost chillies", or bhut jolokia, into her eyes.

The Guinness Book of Records first recognised the bhut jolokia as the world's hottest chilli in 2007.

The ghost chilli has more than 1 million Scoville units, the scientific measurement of a chilli's spiciness while jalapeño peppers measure between 2,500 and 8,000. Classic Tabasco sauce ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units.

Ramsay, who was filming in India for a Channel 4 programme, could manage only one of the chillies before calling for water and screaming: "It's too much."

Despite the formidable reputation of ghost chillies, Mrs Tamuly dismissed her achievement.

She said: "I have been eating bhut jolokia since my childhood and never felt the hotness in my mouth.

"When I was five I had a sore tongue and my mother applied a chilli paste to cure the infection. Since then I developed a penchant for chillies.

"After that I found eating chillies was a great way to stay healthy. Every time I have a cold or flu I just munch on some chillies and I feel better.

"To be honest, I barely notice them now."

She added she was disappointed not to have managed even more having swallowed 60 chillies in practice sessions before the record attempt in the Assam region of India where Mrs Tamuly lives.

The previous record was held by a South African woman who ate eight jalapeños in one minute in 2002.

In September last year an aspiring chef died after eating a chilli sauce as part of an endurance competition with a friend.