‘One Chip Challenge’ company Paqui PULLS product off shelves following the death of Harris Wolobah, 14, after eating spiciest chip in the world
- The company that owns the ‘One Chip Challenge’ is pulling the product from shelves days after a teen died hours after consuming one of the chips
- Paqui, which has marketed the extremely spicy chip as a challenge only for adults, has drawn attention to its prominent warning label
- Even prior to the teen’s passing, there were reports of children being hospitalized after eating the spicy chip at schools across the country
The company responsible for the viral ‘One Chip Challenge’ is pulling the product off the shelves, following the death of Michigan teen Harris Wolobah hours after eating it.
Paqui, which makes the extremely spicy snack, put up a statement at the top of its website making clear that the ‘challenge’ is ‘for adults only.’
The warning emphasizes the ‘clear and prominent labeling’ that specifies ‘the chip is not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods.’
Paqui is even offering refunds to those who have already purchased the chip challenge.
Paqui is currently working with retailers to get the chips off store shelves.
According to NBC Boston, Harris Wolobah died on the same day he participated in the ‘One Chip Challenge.’ He reported a stomach ache at school after eating the chip, and later on collapsed and was found unresponsive at his home.
The 2023 edition of the ‘One Chip Challenge’ features a tortilla chip flavored with two of the spiciest peppers possible, the California Reaper Pepper and the Naga Viper Pepper. The California Reaper is ranked as the world’s spiciest pepper
Harris Wolobah, 14, died hours after eating a spicy tortilla chip as part of the ‘One Chip Challenge,’ a social media trend that has gained billions of views on TikTok. The Massachusetts teen was a talented athlete described by family as ‘a light that lit up the room’
On September 1, the boy’s mother was called to his school when Harris complained of a stomach ache. He’d eaten the spicy chip after it was given to him by a classmate.
The young teen felt better after going home but he passed out at 4.30pm when he was about to leave for basketball tryouts.
Speaking with the Worcester Telegram, police Lt. Sean Murtha said the boy was unresponsive and not breathing. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Wolobah’s official cause of death is still pending.
The Worcester District Attorney’s Office issued a warning Wednesday about the challenge:
‘While the investigation into the cause of the teenager’s death in Worcester continues, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office would like to remind parents to research and discuss with your children about the one-chip challenge,’ District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. wrote in a post on X, (formerly Twitter).
‘Medical professionals have said the tortilla chip, which is made from two of the spiciest chili peppers in the world, can cause very serious and dangerous side effects. We urge parents to discuss this with their children and advise them not to partake in this activity,’ he added.
In a statement made to the TODAY show from Paqui, a representative said they take ‘safety very seriously and have worked hard to ensure our products are properly and clearly labeled with allergen and safety information.
‘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.’
It is unclear what Paqui is planning for the future of the product, which it claims adheres to food safety standards.
An uptick in minors participating in the challenge was clocked by the company, despite the warning label on the package. However, there is no rule or regulation preventing an underage individual from picking up the challenge at a local store.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ROAXc9Ld5y8%3Frel%3D0
The warning label on the back of the coffin-shaped chip box
Paqui, the chip’s manufacturer, encourages people to test their physical limits. Those who can sustain the burning pain for up to an hour without food or drink earn the title of ‘Apex Predator’
While Harris’s death marks the first reported fatality after eating the chip, many other children have needed medical attention after eating them.
In October 2022, a school district in Lafayette, Louisiana, banned the chips from all campuses after multiple students needed medical attention.
Less than one month later, paramedics were called to a high school in Dunwood, Georgia, prompting police to issue a warning about the snack.
The ‘One Chip Challenge’ is a marketing campaign surrounding a single tortilla chip that is advertised as the spiciest in the world.
The challenge has drawn a following across social media, with the ‘#onechipchallenge’ tag boasting over two billion views on TikTok.
Manufactured by Paqui since 2016, the chip is the product of Texas-based Amplify Snack Brands which was acquired by The Hershey Company in 2017.
A new flavor of the hot, hot chip is released every year, and the 2023 edition became available on Amazon starting August 9. While under ten ingredients are listed, two that stand out the most are the California Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper.
The California Reaper Pepper was officially named the world’s hottest pepper, measuring up to 2.2 Million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) on the Scoville Scale. The Naga Viper Pepper came in just below it at 1,382,118 SHUs.
The scale measures the strength of various peppers relative to capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat. Pure capsaicin measures 16 million Scoville units.
The single chip comes in a coffin-shaped box emblazoned with a red skull.
A warning label on the promotional site reads: ‘Keep out of reach of children. Intended for adult consumption.’
The page encourages people to seek medical attention if they experience complications like difficulty breathing, fainting or ‘extended nausea’.
Paqui has run an ad campaign challenging people to test if they can take the pain.
A graphic on the site reads ‘How long can you last before you spiral out?’ and features an image of a grim reaper gripping a snake.
Those who can go one hour without eating or drinking anything to counter the heat are deemed an ‘Apex Predator’.
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