Spicy crisp pulled from shelves after mum says it contributed to her son's death

07 September 2023 , 23:51

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Harris Wolobah, 14, died playing the One Chip Challenge, therefore its maker has taken the game off store shelves (Image: GoFundMe)

Paqui, the maker of extremely spicy tortilla chips marketed as the “One Chip Challenge,” has pulled the product from shelves after a mum said her teenage son died of complications from consuming a single chip.

The chips were sold individually, and their seasoning contained two of the hottest peppers in the world: the Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper.

Each chip was packaged in a coffin-shaped container with a skull on the front.

Harris Wolobah died at just 14, with his family saying he passed away following "complications" connected to the "One Chip Challenge'.

The Paqui chip, which is made with Carolina Reaper and Scorpion peppers (MediaNews Group via Getty Images)

The viral challenge dares participants to eat a chip containing the spice from a Carolina Reaper Pepper and a Naga Viper Pepper, and then not eat or drink anything for relief for a set amount of time. If the participant lasts only a minute they are branded 'Harmless' but if they last an hour they get the accolade - 'Apex Predator'.

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According to a fundraiser from the teen's family, Harris, from Worcester, Massachusetts, died on September 1. A heartbreaking tribute from the family reads: "The pain our family is experiencing is unimaginable. Harris was a light that lit up the room with his presence and subtle charm. He was an intelligent, quirky and incredibly talented young man who loved video games and playing basketball!"

"The Paqui One Chip Challenge is intended for adults only, with clear and prominent labeling highlighting the chip is not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods or who has food allergies, is pregnant, or has underlying health condition," the company said.

"We have seen an increase in teens and other individuals not heeding these warnings." The single chip costs $9.99 and is packaged in a coffin-shaped box with an illustration of a skull and a snake on it.

A scary warning sign on the product directs customers to seek medical attention if they develop breathing difficulties, dizziness, or prolonged nausea after eating the chip. The Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers, two of the spiciest peppers in the world, are used to make the chip.

Risk-takers are challenged by the challenge, which has gained popularity on social media, to eat the chip and refrain from eating or drinking anything for as long as possible afterwards.

Although the cause of death has not yet been established, Darin Detwiler, a professor at Northeastern University and expert on food safety regulation, notes that a chemical irritant in the ingredients of the chip is known to trigger severe reactions, according to CBS.

While inflammatory bowel disease and gallbladder problems are among the common side effects of spicy foods, an excess of capsaicin "could put someone in a state similar to a shock, and they can potentially go into cardiac arrest if the stimulus is too severe," according to Darin.

The 'One Chip Challenge' has taken the internet by storm (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The packaging for this year's chip features the picture of a red, screaming skull and is shaped like a coffin. Along with blue maize, oil, salt, and pepper, the components come from the Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers, two of the spiciest peppers known to man.

Days after the Worcester teen's death, the business said on Thursday that it was working with merchants to remove the product off shelves.

According to a 2022 Poison Control fact sheet, the challenge last year declared those who went an entire hour without eating or drinking to be "invincible," while those who did so within a minute of consuming the chip were "dismissed as being "powerless."

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The Scoville heat unit scale, which rates jalapeno peppers from 2,000 to 8,000 units of heat, is used to measure the heat index of chilli peppers.

Although Paqui Tortilla Chips claims that this year's chip lacks a Scoville heat rating, the firm estimated that Caroline Reaper peppers had a scorching 1.7 million Scoville units and Naga Viper peppers have 1.4 million units.

Mataeo Smith