Eating contests are the ultimate in human tournaments, in what other competition do people take the most basic of survival instincts and engorge it to its stomach-churning limits? Next week on June 28 to celebrate Canada Day the Beijinger is hosting its annual chili eating contest – a brutal afternoon where ten competitors go mouth-to-mouth trying to swallow as many peppers as humanely possible in three minutes.

While our competitors will be expected to sweat it out, we’re going to be a little gentle and not feed them any of these. That’s not to say that they may want to numb, and in some cases all-out burn off, their tastebuds in preparation for the big event. Behold, the world’s hottest chilies measured in scoville units (SHU):