Following Teen’s Death, Paqui Pulls “One Chip Challenge” From Shelves
Following the death of a Massachusetts teen who took the Paqui “One Chip Challenge,” Amplify Brands, a subsidiary of parent company Hershey’s, said it will pull the product from stores.
“Out of an abundance of caution we are actively working with our retailers to remove the product from store shelves,” reads a note on the Paqui U.S. website, Instagram and Facebook page. Consumers who have purchased the chip can also receive a refund.
On Friday, 14-year-old Harris Wolobah of Worcester, Massachusetts passed away after he and his friends ate the super-hot One Chip Challenge chips. Hours after eating the chip, Wolobah was dismissed from school with stomach pains, and was later found unresponsive before being declared dead at a local hospital. A GoFundMe campaign for the family states an autopsy is pending.
The chip is seasoned with carolina reaper and naga viper peppers, with the brand’s website reporting the two are rated at 1.7 million Scoville Units and 1.4 million Scoville Units, respectively. A jalapeno pepper, for example, comes in at 2,000 to 8,000 Scoville Units.
The death occurs after other adverse side effects from the chip have been reported in teenagers, with some school districts banning the chip in schools. In today’s statement the Paqui team said that the chip’s packaging contains a warning that it should not be consumed by adults who are sensitive to spicy foods, have food allergies, are pregnant or have underlying health conditions. The coffin-shaped packaging also instructed consumers to wash their hands after touching the chip, even including gloves to wear, and stated individuals should seek medical attention for difficulty breathing, nausea or fainting.
Still, consumers of any age were able to purchase the product, which has drawn vast attention on social media. Paqui encouraged challenge participants to post reaction videos while eating the chip, which dyes your tongue blue. On TikTok, the hashtag OneChipChallenge has over two billion views.
“The Paqui One Chip Challenge is intended for adults only, with clear and prominent labeling,” the website statement reads. “We have seen an increase in teens and other individuals not heeding these warnings.”
As of Thursday evening,the chip was currently listed on some retailer’s websites, such as Walmart and Amazon. The brand’s social media channels also still feature posts about the chip, including one reaction video that TikTok previously labeled as “sensitive content.” The video-driven social media site also does not have a post about the recall.
