topic Re: Death by tortilla chip in Community Chat

Death by tortilla chip

Mindy D — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 22:24:47 GMT

A corn tortilla chip made by Pacqui, a subsidiary of Hershey according to The Daily Mail, was sold in a coffin shaped box and contained ingredients including two of the hottest peppers, the Carolina Reaper (said to be the Worlds hottest pepper on the Scoville Scale, according to the Daily Mail) and the Naga Viper. It was sold on Amazon in the UK, US, Europe, Middle East and Africa and possibly other locations. Amazon said it would remove the product after a call from BBC Newsbeat about the death. The Pacqui company is removing the chips from shelves. They are also working with retailers to offer refunds. There was a One Chip Challenge for adults used in the marketing of the chip and shown on its box.

A 14 yr old American boy, Harris Wolobah might have died as a result of eating the chip. At least one article said the boy was given the chip by a classmate and got a severe stomach ache while at school. It went on to say he was picked up and taken home by his mother. This could mean the boy never saw the box the chip came in which does contain warnings about the chip. There are multiple photos of the box and warnings posted online.

Harris was found unresponsive and not breathing in Worcester, Mass. His death is being investigated by the state's ME.

In 2018, A 34 yr old man went to the ER days after eating a Carolina pepper. He had taken part in a chili pepper eating contest. He started dry heaving before developing a pain in the neck that then developed into what was thought to be thunderclap headaches, sudden severe episodes of excruciating head pain that peak in minutes. The details of his ordeal were published in The British Medical Journal Case Reports. A synopsis of the case appeared in The Guardian. He had been complaining of severe head pain while in the ER in New York. CT and MRIs showed nothing out of the ordinary. Some of the arteries in the brain had narrowed and he received the same diagnosis as I have here in the info from my other source. The medical team said that it's likely the Carolina Reaper pepper is the cause. Another report about it report in Newsweek said that the man's brain scans showed constricted arteries, technically acute cerebellar infarct and reversible cerebrovascular vasoconstriction syndrome, but that these arteries returned to normal five weeks later. In 2020 there was a report of a 15 yr old boy who had a stroke two days after being hospitalized for headaches after eating one Carolina pepper. There is a medical journal report out about these incidents.

The Pacqui brand had a One Chip Challenge that told adult consumers to tag the company on social media after they try to eat the chip and see how long they could go before eating or drinking anything after eating it. There were videos on TikTok and YouTube showing some taking the challenge.

My information is a summary from multiple news sources.

Note that the challenge has been going on for seven years (2016) and there have been different chilis used over the years. I watched videos of Shaquille O'Neil (5 yrs ago) and Tony Hawk take them. Hawk's chip did have the Carolina Reaper and the Scorpion pepper. He took the challenge in 2022.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:57:11 GMT

@Mindy D

I read about this and found it to be rather ... stupid.

I've never heard of Pacqui (or these peppers), but I understand some marketing person thought this was probably clever and their lawyers underestimated the intelligence of the general public.

Anyone ever buy anything from this food manufacturer?

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Puzzle Piece — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:58:44 GMT

Folks don't seem to know a dare when it's offered. A challenge can be the same thing.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

SportyShorty07 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 18:09:38 GMT

That's so sad that these people are dying or having major health problems from the one chip challenge. I love super spicy food, but this takes it too far. I saw a news anchor try it on a Youtube video and he sweat profusely, coughed and had to run to a bathroom to be sick- I wouldn't want to put myself through extreme pain and discomfort to try a dangerous chip challenge.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

millieshops — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 18:18:54 GMT

At one dinner I attended in a Mexican restaurant (1984), the waiter placed an oblong tray of 6 peppers in the middle of the table. I've never forgotten his advice to start with the pepper marked #1 and only proceed up the numbers if you liked/tolerated the one(s) you tasted.

Hearing about the chip challenge brought that memory back. I know #1 was fine, but #2 was hot enough for me.

I'm glad they are working at removing the chips from all the stores. It wouldn't change my life if TikTok disappeared, too!

Re: Death by tortilla chip

chrystaltree — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 18:21:28 GMT

Well, we don't need know that the child's death was related to the tortilla chip and that ridiculous Tic-toc stunt. Maybe. Maybe not. The autopsy is pending. It's scary how many kids get roped into potentially dangerous Tic-toc foolishness. I can understand young teens but adults do this stuff too. I don't understand that.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

qbetzforreal — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 18:30:30 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
Well, we don't need know that the child's death was related to the tortilla chip and that ridiculous Tic-toc stunt. Maybe. Maybe not. The autopsy is pending. It's scary how many kids get roped into potentially dangerous Tic-toc foolishness. I can understand young teens but adults do this stuff too. I don't understand that.

It isn't promotoed on Tiktok.

The "One Chip Challenge" has been promoted by Amplify Snack Brands since 2016. Participants must eat one Carolina Reaper chip and avoid eating or drinking anything afterwards.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

chrystaltree — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:22:47 GMT

@qbetzforreal wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
Well, we don't need know that the child's death was related to the tortilla chip and that ridiculous Tic-toc stunt. Maybe. Maybe not. The autopsy is pending. It's scary how many kids get roped into potentially dangerous Tic-toc foolishness. I can understand young teens but adults do this stuff too. I don't understand that.

It isn't promotoed on Tiktok.

The "One Chip Challenge" has been promoted by Amplify Snack Brands since 2016. Participants must eat one Carolina Reaper chip and avoid eating or drinking anything afterwards.

I don't know if I assumed it was Tic-toc or someone said it. Nonetheless it's still stupid and it explains why they are so quick to pull them off the shelves.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Allthingsgirly67 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:41:11 GMT

I really don’t feel sorry for people who do these things. Ultimately it’s your decision. Obviously it’s difficult that’s why it’s called a “challenge”.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Mindy D — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:51:28 GMT

@Allthingsgirly67 wrote:
I really don’t feel sorry for people who do these things. Ultimately it’s your decision. Obviously it’s difficult that’s why it’s called a “challenge”.

@Allthingsgirly67 I do feel sorry if someone does one of these challenges before it is known that the material can cause death.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

We rescue cats — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:01:28 GMT

Very sad, especially if he was ot aware of what he was consuming.

I feel about these challenges the same as I feel about those folks that choose not to leave an area that is being threatened by a hurricane, fire or other form of disaster. Every choice we make has a consequence, choose wisely.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Allthingsgirly67 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:07:15 GMT

That’s the implication of a challenge is extreme. Like another said choose wisely.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

FLgardener — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:36:09 GMT

There are a few hard hearts here. My heart is sad for the boy who died. At 14 I might have been tempted by this challenge, having always loved hot and spicy foods.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Trailrun23 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:48:17 GMT

I read about this ridiculous " challenge" that seems more like a dare, a couole of weeks ago. The package had warnings all over it, probably just to make it seem even more thrilling and enticing . I a pkg of chips needs a warning.l.I'm out.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

threecees — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:53:36 GMT

My teenage son was very interested in this story, loves hot spicy foods.

I do remember another challenge that stands out in my mind. Several

years back a radio station ran a contest of who can drink the most water

to win a video game station. One of the contestants drank so much water

that she died from it. You just can't do this to your body. Crazy stunts.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Trailrun23 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 20:55:26 GMT

I have also heard that there are TikTok posts about the chip challenge but doesn't mean the company is promoting it. Anything idiotic and potentially hazardous sounds a lot like TikTok and others like it.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Caffeina — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 23:46:00 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Mindy D

I read about this and found it to be rather ... stupid.

I've never heard of Pacqui (or these peppers), but I understand some marketing person thought this was probably clever and their lawyers underestimated the intelligence of the general public.

Anyone ever buy anything from this food manufacturer?

I've had Paqui's ghost pepper chips. They were too hot for me to be able to enjoy eating the chips.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

shoptilyadropagain — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 23:56:30 GMT

I love hot 🔥 spicy food and can tolerate a lot more heat than most people. I always wanted to do this challenge but never got around to it. I tried the Paqui ghost pepper chips and was disappointed in the heat level.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:18:41 GMT

@Caffeina wrote:
@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Mindy D

I read about this and found it to be rather ... stupid.

I've never heard of Pacqui (or these peppers), but I understand some marketing person thought this was probably clever and their lawyers underestimated the intelligence of the general public.

Anyone ever buy anything from this food manufacturer?

I've had Paqui's ghost pepper chips. They were too hot for me to be able to enjoy eating the chips.

@Caffeina

That means it's a "novelty" food, not something we buy to feed our families and keep us alive.

People do the dumbest things on a dare .... a few years back there was a "challenge" of pouring a bucket of ice cold water over your head.

IMO, If I were going to accept a challenge, it wouldn't be to eat something that could seriously hurt me.

Re: Death by tortilla chip

Kachina624 — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 01:24:27 GMT

@Mindy D. Didn't we go through the same thing with the same chips last year? Maybe Hershey needs a big lawsuit to convince them this isn’t a good idea.