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

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

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

Lois Wolobah told NBC Boston that her 14-year-old son, Harris Wolobah, ate the chip Friday, then went to the school nurse with a stomachache. Wolobah said Harris — a sophomore at Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester, Massachusetts — passed out at home that afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the hospital later that day, she said.

Until sales of the product were suspended, Paqui’s marketing dared people to participate in the challenge by eating a chip, posting pictures of their tongues on social media after the chip turned it blue and then waiting as long as possible to relieve the burn with water or other food.

The challenge has existed in some form since 2016.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    In a 2020 study, researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center detailed the “serious complications” that can result from eating the Carolina Reaper pepper, noting that a 15-year-old boy had suffered an acute cerebellar stroke two days after eating one on a dare. The Carolina Reaper has been measured at more than two million Scoville heat units, the scale used to measure how hot peppers are. The Naga Viper has been measured at just under 1.4 million Scoville units. Jalapeño peppers are typically rated at between 2,000 and 8,000 units.

    This is hotter than that. It’s not a safe product. I have no idea why you think it is.

    • 30mag@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      This is hotter than that. It’s not a safe product. I have no idea why you think it is.

      How is it hotter than the peppers it is seasoned with?

    • gamer@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      This is hotter than that. It’s not a safe product. I have no idea why you think it is.

      I’m not saying it is or isn’t safe, but this seems completely arbitrary. Why are you so sure that over 2 million scoville units is unsafe? There are some pepper spray brands that are in the 5 million+ range.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Did you read the pasted article? That’s why. And I wouldn’t suggest anyone ingest pepper spray, so that’s a weird comparison.

    • bufordt@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      Way more people have strokes after chiropractic neck adjustments and dental surgery. When are we banning those?

        • bufordt@sh.itjust.works
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          10 months ago

          How does that relate to my comment? We don’t have an official cause of death on this guy. We just have the mother claiming it was from the chip. The paper claiming the kid had a stroke 2 days after eating a hot chip seems very questionable.

          We have lots of people who have gone to the ER after being in intense pain from eating something that causes intense pain. No evidence presented that they were actually in danger.

          Chiropractors and dentists are well documented for causing strokes after neck adjustments and surgeries. There’s even a good explanation for why, in that they can both cause tears in the neck blood vessels and arteries resulting in blood clots that can very quickly get to the brain.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            a 15-year-old boy had suffered an acute cerebellar stroke two days after eating one on a dare.

            No actual danger?

            • bufordt@sh.itjust.works
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              10 months ago

              First, he didn’t have a stroke. Second, he had issues that arose during football practice 2 days later. Give me a break.