A maker of extremely spicy tortilla chips sold under the name “One Chip Challenge” and popularized as a challenge on social media is being pulled from shelves after the family of a Massachusetts teen blamed his death on the stunt this product.
The cause of Harris Wolobah’s death on Friday was yet to be determined and an autopsy was still pending as of Thursday, but the 14-year-old boy’s family blamed it for the challenge. Since his death, Texas-based manufacturer Paqui has asked retailers to stop selling individually wrapped potato chips — a step 7-Eleven has already taken.
One Chip Challenge chips sell for about $10 and are packaged in airtight foil bags and enclosed in a coffin-shaped cardboard box. The packaging warns that the chip is designed for “the vengeful thrill of heat and pain” and is suitable for adults and should be kept out of the reach of children.
Hershey subsidiary Paqui said in a statement posted on its website Thursday that the company was “deeply saddened” by Wolobah’s death.
“We are seeing an increasing number of teens and others ignoring these warnings,” the company said. “So while this product continues to comply with food safety standards, out of an abundance of caution we are actively working with retailers to place Product off the shelf.”
Authorities in Massachusetts also responded to the death, warning parents of the challenge, which is popular on social media sites such as TikTok. Many people, including children, have posted videos of themselves opening packages, eating spicy chips and then reacting to the heat. Some videos showed people gagging, coughing and begging for water.
Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said in a series of posts about the challenge on social network X, formerly known as Twitter: “We urge parents to discuss this , and advised them not to participate in the event.” “The company warned that the chips were for adults only. Other states across the country have also seen hospitalizations from the chip challenge, including teens.”
People across the country have reportedly gotten sick after participating in the challenge, including three students at a California high school who were taken to the hospital. Paramedics were called to a Minnesota school last year when seven students fell ill after taking part in the challenge.
“You can have very mild symptoms, like burning or tingling of the lips in the mouth, but you can also have more severe symptoms,” said Lauren Rice, chief of the pediatric emergency department at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Provides opportunities for parents, coaches, teachers to learn about various social media challenges that can be dangerous.
“It goes back to the ingredients used in the tortilla chips,” she continued. “There are some spices, like capsaicin, which is a chemical that we use in products like pepper spray, so they’re very strong chemicals and can be very irritating. Some of the more serious symptoms we’re seeing can be severe Abdominal pain or nausea and vomiting.”
Dr. Peter Chai, an associate professor of emergency medicine and medical toxicology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said the chips could be dangerous in some situations.
“Eating these potato chips, which have high levels of capsaicin, can cause death,” he said. “It really depends on the amount of capsaicin a person is exposed to. At high doses, it can cause fatal arrhythmias or cause irreversible damage to the heart.”
Worcester police in central Massachusetts, the state’s second-largest city, said in a statement that they were called to Woloba’s home Friday afternoon and found him “unresponsive and not breathing.” He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.
Woloba’s family and friends believe the chips contributed to his death, and his family has called for the chips to be banned from store shelves.
“In our view, Chip was responsible for what happened because he was a healthy kid,” said Douglas Hill, director of the basketball league Woloba played in, describing Woloba as a Quiet teen whose family came to America from Liberia.
“The discussion right now is about chips, but there will be other challenges coming and we want to make sure the kids know they shouldn’t be involved in anything that could harm them,” said Douglas, who organized a basketball event Saturday. In memory of this young man. A vigil is also planned for Friday.
There’s no question why anyone would eat these fries.
Along with its name, “One Chip Challenge,” the package also lists “challenge rules,” encouraging buyers to eat the entire potato chip, “wait as long as possible before drinking or eating anything,” and post their reactions on social media. The packaging also asks how long a person can last, ranging from a minute to an hour.
The back of the package warns buyers not to consume the chips if they are “sensitive to spicy foods, allergic to hot peppers, night lights or capsaicin, or are pregnant or have any medical condition.” It also said individuals should wash their hands after handling the chip and “seek medical help if you experience breathing difficulties, fainting or persistent nausea.”
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