Last September, tragedy struck in Massachusetts as 14-year-old Harris Wolobah, who suffered from a congenital heart defect, passed away due to a heart attack after participating in Paqui's "One Chip Challenge." This challenge involves consuming an exceptionally spicy tortilla chip seasoned with both the Carolina Reaper pepper and the Naga Viper pepper.
The exact cause of Harris's death was determined only recently, with the chief medical examiner's office confirming on Thursday that he experienced cardiopulmonary arrest as a result of ingesting a food substance with a high concentration of capsaicin, the spicy compound found in chili peppers.
Paqui, the company behind the challenge, clarified to CNN that the "One Chip Challenge" was designed for adults, with explicit labeling emphasizing that it was not suitable for children or individuals sensitive to spicy foods or with underlying health conditions.
Capsaicin, the active component in chili peppers, is known for its intense heat. The Carolina Reaper Pepper, one of the ingredients in the chip, is renowned for its extreme spiciness, ranking just below pepper spray on the Scoville scale, which measures the heat of peppers and chilies. Similarly, the Naga Viper pepper, another component, boasts a potency of approximately 1.2 million heat units on the scale, significantly surpassing the heat of a jalapeno pepper, which registers at around 5,000 heat units.
The tragic incident underscores the importance of understanding and respecting the potential risks associated with consuming extremely spicy foods, especially for individuals with underlying health conditions.
