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/

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Sure, but these are new ways to die.

I had never heard of anyone dying from drinking too much water before. I haven’t done a ton of research, but I believe it was determined that drinking too much water is what killed that woman. It wasn’t happenstance.

This case is a bit different as we’ve yet to confirm, but I do wonder what ingredient in these chips could have caused this kid’s death (if it is determined that the chips were the cause of death).

dont wee to win a wii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDND#:...game%20console.

[Tribal Warfare]

The kid could've been allergic then went into anaphylactic shock

[stanleychief]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Sure, but these are new ways to die.

I had never heard of anyone dying from drinking too much water before. I haven’t done a ton of research, but I believe it was determined that drinking too much water is what killed that woman. It wasn’t happenstance.

Death by over hydrating is a real thing, and I recall hearing about several of the cases mentioned in the Wikipedia page (towards the bottom) on this topic. I think the most talked about was the lady that entered a radio contest to win a Wii. (Shout out to displacedinMN with the link to that contest above!)

While capsaicin (the active ingredient in those chips) can be toxic, it takes a large amount of it to reach that point. I can't see how anyone could down that much capsaicin in one session.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

dont wee to win a wii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDND#:...game%20console.

Huh, interesting. I learned something new today.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by stanleychief

Death by over hydrating is a real thing, and I recall hearing about several of the cases mentioned in the Wikipedia page (towards the bottom) on this topic. I think the most talked about was the lady that entered a radio contest to win a Wii. (Shout out to displacedinMN with the link to that contest above!)

While capsaicin (the active ingredient in those chips) can be toxic, it takes a large amount of it to reach that point. I can't see how anyone could down that much capsaicin in one session.

Yeah, I found the water intoxication hyperlink at Displaced’s link about the Wee for Wii.

Interesting stuff. Seems it is super rare and almost impossible to do “naturally” but still possible.

Seems too much of anything can kill you.

[El Lobo Gordo]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Sure, but these are new ways to die.

I had never heard of anyone dying from drinking too much water before. I haven’t done a ton of research, but I believe it was determined that drinking too much water is what killed that woman. It wasn’t happenstance.

This case is a bit different as we’ve yet to confirm, but I do wonder what ingredient in these chips could have caused this kid’s death (if it is determined that the chips were the cause of death).

Water toxicity is a real thing. If you drink too much water you can throw your electrolytes off and that can kill you. I don't doubt a woman died drinking too much water trying to win a Wii. This could happen to virtually anyone. Anyone could kill themselves drinking too much water.

Eating a bag of super spicey chips....well I suppose that it could kill some people but it would be super rare. If some one dies after drinking a couple of gallons of water in a sitting....good chance it is the water. If some one dies after eating a bag of widely available super spicey chips....well I'm thinking its likely something else that did them in.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by El Lobo Gordo

Water toxicity is a real thing. If you drink too much water you can throw your electrolytes off and that can kill you. I don't doubt a woman died drinking too much water trying to win a Wii. This could happen to virtually anyone. Anyone could kill themselves drinking too much water.

Eating a bag of super spicey chips....well I suppose that it could kill some people but it would be super rare. If some one dies after drinking a couple of gallons of water in a sitting....good chance it is the water. If some one dies after eating a bag of widely available super spicey chips....well I'm thinking its likely something else that did them in.

Yeah, others have chimed in so I am aware of water intoxication now. Still, check the Wiki here and go to the ‘notable cases’ section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_...#Notable_cases

Water intoxication is also super rare. Only like 5 actually confirmed cases in modern times? And the majority of those cases resulted in people being forced/forcing themselves to drink far too much. Seems like it would be incredibly difficult to just OD on water on accident.

I suppose there is no point in discussing the spicy chip case until it’s confirmed as to what actually killed the kid.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Yeah, others have chimed in so I am aware of water intoxication now. Still, check the Wiki here and go to the ‘notable cases’ section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_...#Notable_cases

Water intoxication is also super rare. Only like 5 actually confirmed cases in modern times? And the majority of those cases resulted in people being forced/forcing themselves to drink far too much. Seems like it would be incredibly difficult to just OD on water on accident.

I suppose there is no point in discussing the spicy chip case until it’s confirmed as to what actually killed the kid.

What killed the woman that drank the water?

[AdolfOliverBush]

Natural Selection doing its thing.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by TLO

What killed the woman that drank the water?

I’m not going to do a bunch of research but her family says she drank four 16-oz bottles of water in 20 minutes so I’d guess that did it.

EDIT: in the article I read, family said she drank that much water then collapsed in her garage hours later so it was likely the electrolyte imbalance created by drinking too much water too quickly.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

This kid dies after eating 16 spicy chips and there was that lady who died a couple weeks back after drinking a few bottles of water in a 20 minute timeframe.

Weird.

This is a lesson to me on the importance of sharing.

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by TLO

What killed the woman that drank the water?

the water, so they say.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Guess he let the chips fall where they may.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

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.

Actually, it is a lucrative deal to buy Raider season tickets. The resell market is through the roof!

[WhawhaWhat]

2023 Darwin Awards sponsored by TikTok.