Warning after teenager dies during TikTok 'One Chip Challenge'

[Eleazar]

Warning after teenager dies during TikTok 'One Chip Challenge'

Parents told to keep children away from the dangerously spicy £20 tortilla sold in a box shaped like a coffin

Rozina Sabur
DEPUTY US EDITOR
5 September 2023






Parents are being warned about the dangers of TikTok’s “One Chip Challenge” after a boy died after eating a dangerously spicy tortilla.

The challenge involves eating what is said to be the hottest tortilla chip on the planet and then abstaining from eating or drinking anything to ease the pain for as long as possible.

Participants have shared their reactions on social media in a craze that has gained more than two billion views on TikTok.

Experts are warning against the trend after 14-year-old Harris Wolobah, of Worcester, Massachusetts, died on Sept 1 after taking part in the challenge.

The boy was taken ill at school with severe stomach ache and was taken home by his mother, Lois. He collapsed a few hours later and was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Ms Wolobah told NBC10 Boston that the family believes Harris died of complications from the chip challenge, although the teenager’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

The single, large blue tortilla chip is sold by the brand Paqui and comes in a box shaped like a coffin.

The chip-maker has been encouraging people to try the challenge since 2016 and releases a new flavour each year.



Its new line became available online last month and combines two of the world’s hottest peppers.

The “vicious” crisp “contains the super-charged Carolina Reaper Pepper and stinging Scorpion Pepper”, the brand’s website states.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency said it was aware of reports of people being sent to hospital in agony after taking part in the viral online dare.

Tina Potter, head of incidents at the agency, told the Telegraph: “It’s important that food is consumed as intended and that consumers follow any consumer advice on any food labelling or packaging.

“If there is any unsafe food on the market we’ll take rapid action to ensure it is removed and alert consumers.”

Paqui’s infamous crisps have previously been banned by numerous school districts in the US, but are available for purchase online.

While Paqui’s website states the product is only available in the US and Canada, it is also available from vendors like eBay and Amazon for delivery to the UK.

The £20 product from Paqui comes with a warning that it is “intended for adult consumption” and should be kept out of reach of children.

However, social media is rife with videos of children undertaking the challenge.

One TikTok user with the handle @*angela_b157 posted a video showing a young girl in tears after being egged on to eat the blue crisp by her family.

Later on a video shows the girl being taken to hospital, where she was reportedly treated for hours to ease her intense stomach pain.

Several US states, including California, Texas and Alabama have seen hospitalisations linked to the challenge.

5Rights, a British children’s charity founded by Baroness Kidron, has also sounded the alarm.

Leanda Barrington-Leach, director of international advocacy at the charity, warned about social media services promoting “risky content, contacts and conduct to and among children”.

She said: “This must change, by bringing forward robust legislation that requires redesigning the online world with children’s rights and needs in mind.”

The California Reaper Pepper is ranked as the world’s spiciest, with up to 2.2 million heat units (SHUs) on the Scoville Scale.

The Naga Viper Pepper is just below at 1,382,118 SHUs.

The scale measures the strength of various peppers relative to capsaicin, the major active compound that gives chillies their heat.

The body’s reaction includes swelling, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, heartburn from acid reflux, and headaches.

Experts say the side effects are a result of the body considering the stimulus from capsaicin to be a real burn.

Individual cells in the mouth and digestive system might respond to the stimulus by releasing chemicals which cause additional irritation.

Paqui, a Texas-based brand owned by The Hershey Company, has previously said it takes “safety very seriously” and has “worked hard” to ensure its products are properly “labelled with allergen and safety information”.

The company added: “It is our intent that consumers take on this challenge with a full understanding of what it is and if it is appropriate for them.”

Paqui advises anyone who has difficulty breathing, faints or has extended nausea to seek medical assistance.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-ne...achusetts-boy/

[phisherman]

I saw a few posts on Twitter making reference to the fact that he ate 16 of the Paqui chips. That's a little ****ing stupid. Not sure if it's true but eating one of those shouldn't kill anyone unless they choke and aspirate on puke or something.

[smithandrew051]

Sometimes I wonder who would buy a product just to torture themselves, and then I remember that some people are Raiders season ticket holders.

[Otter]

I bet he just tripped and fell on something when he couldn't see past the hair hanging in front of his eyeballs.

[Chief Pagan]

I was young and dumb once.

I'm glad I'm old and still alive.

[Eleazar]

I bet eating one of these things makes for an interesting trip to the head the next morning

[lewdog]

Kid probably visited Detroit and was murdered.

Just sayin’.

[phisherman]

Originally Posted by Razaele

I bet eating one of these things makes for an interesting trip to the head the next morning

I haven't had this particular version of the Paqui chip but I've eaten them several times and they are very hot. Disclaimer though, I really, really enjoy mega hot food. Huge endorphin rush.

To extend what i said above, I've seen a few posts saying he ate ****ing SIXTEEN of the whole chips. The packs come as singles, one chip at a time. Anyone that would try to eat sixteen of them....Darwin award candidate.

[notorious]

He failed the “One brain cell challenge”.

[Bump]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Sometimes I wonder who would buy a product just to torture themselves, and then I remember that some people are Raiders season ticket holders.

ya, I like heat and spicy foods but why do it when it's that bad? The heat also has to taste good. But doing shit like that is practically self harm. You do build a tolerance to it but I don't know if it would matter with those types of things.

[Bump]

Originally Posted by phisherman

I haven't had this particular version of the Paqui chip but I've eaten them several times and they are very hot. Disclaimer though, I really, really enjoy mega hot food. Huge endorphin rush.

To extend what i said above, I've seen a few posts saying he ate ****ing SIXTEEN of the whole chips. The packs come as singles, one chip at a time. Anyone that would try to eat sixteen of them....Darwin award candidate.

I wouldn't think you'd be likely to die from eating something that spicy. But it's not nearly as darwin award worthy as the other tik tok challenge recently that got a bunch of people killed. It was the "jump off of a boat at 70+ mph and break your neck and die challenge"

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by Razaele

I bet eating one of these things makes for an interesting trip to the head the next morning

We should have a talk show where we interview people on the toilet after eating spicy food.

Call it Hot Twos.

[Jewish Rabbi]

Probably a Patriots fan

[Bearcat]

I've had one.... the heat wasn't overwhelming, but had a unique intensity to it that was interesting.

My stomach almost immediately started hurting though, sharp pains... ended up eating some yogurt and drinking milk to make that calm down because it really started feeling like something was wrong and sure as hell didn't want it coming back up.

I find that 2x spicy ramen that's been posted here to be spicier, yet have never had stomach pain like that chip before or since.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

Probably a Patriots fan

They should all follow suit.