The chief medical examiner’s office in Massachusetts has determined that Harris Wolobah, a teenager with a congenital heart defect, died of a heart attack last September after consuming a tortilla chip seasoned with a high concentration of capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers.
This occurred during Paqui’s “One Chip Challenge,” which involved ingesting a chip spiced with both Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers.
Following Wolobah’s tragic death, Paqui voluntarily removed the product, which came in a coffin-shaped box, from store shelves.
The chief medical examiner’s office confirmed that Wolobah’s death was due to cardiopulmonary arrest after ingesting a food substance with a high capsaicin concentration.
The Carolina Reaper Pepper, just below pepper spray on the Scoville scale measuring pepper pungency, and the Naga Viper Pepper, with around 1.2 million heat units, are significantly spicier than jalapeño peppers at about 5,000 heat units.
A spokesperson from Paqui stated that the “One Chip Challenge” was designed for adults, with clear warnings against consumption for individuals sensitive to spicy foods or with underlying health conditions.
However, there were reports of teens ignoring these warnings, leading to the product’s voluntary removal from shelves in September 2023.
The company has since discontinued the “One Chip Challenge” and is offering refunds for unopened bags from that year.
Source-CNN
