Teenager’s Death Prompts Tortilla Chip Company to Pull Product from Shelves
A tortilla chip company that issued a challenge asking consumers to eat a single chip made with two of the hottest peppers in the world has decided to remove the product from retail shelves. This decision comes after the death of a teenager who reportedly passed away after consuming the chip. The company, Paqui, a subsidiary of the Hershey Company, stated on its website that the Paqui One Chip Challenge is intended for adults only and includes prominent labeling warning that the chip is not suitable for children or other sensitive groups. However, the company has noticed an increase in teenagers and other individuals who are not heeding these warnings, leading to the decision to remove the product from shelves as a precautionary measure.
Paqui has also announced that it will offer refunds for the product, which was priced at around $9.99 for a single serving. Paqui chips are manufactured by Amplify Snack Brands, which was acquired by Hershey for approximately $1.6 billion in 2017.
The chip in question was included in a coffin-shaped box that dared customers to wait as long as possible before consuming any food or drink after eating the chip, and then to share their reactions on social media. Many videos emerged from this year’s challenge, showing individuals desperately begging for water, milk, or shoveling ice cream into their mouths to alleviate the intense spiciness of the chip.
The chip involved in the challenge was made with the Carolina Reaper, which ranks over two million Scoville heat units, making it one of the hottest peppers in the world. It also contained the Naga Viper, which measures just under 1.4 million Scoville units. In comparison, jalapeño peppers typically rate between 2,000 and 8,000 units in terms of spiciness.
Harris Wolobah, a 14-year-old boy from Worcester, Massachusetts, consumed the chip before his death. According to his family, Harris’s school called his mother, Lois Wolobah, to inform her that he was feeling sick. When she arrived at the school, Harris was doubled over with stomach pains. Approximately two hours later, he was rushed to the hospital, where he later passed away.
The exact cause of Harris’s death is not yet clear, but his mother believes that the chip played a role. The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner stated that it could take up to 12 weeks to obtain autopsy results.
Several people who tried the chip reported experiencing painful stomach aches afterward. Paqui spokeswoman, Kim Metcalfe, expressed the company’s condolences to the family and stated that they care about all their consumers. She emphasized that the removal of the chip from shelves is a voluntary retrieval, not a recall.
Until recently, marketing materials for the challenge encouraged participants to see how long they could last without drinking anything for relief. However, this language has been removed from the website, along with all but the essential information and warnings about the product.
The chip’s packaging included a warning label advising that it should be kept out of reach of children. It also cautioned pregnant individuals, those with medical conditions, and those with sensitivities or allergies to spicy foods, peppers, nightshade plants, or capsaicin, the compound responsible for the burning sensation in chili peppers, to avoid consuming the chip.
The exact number of “One Chip Challenge” packages sold since its release in August is unclear. However, a local CBS affiliate in Boston reported finding the chip at a grocery store near Harris Wolobah’s school.
Original Story at www.nytimes.com – 2023-09-07 22:09:50
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