Update, May 16, 2024: Last September, a 14-year-old from Massachusetts died after doing Paqui's “One Chip Challenge," and now an official cause of death has been released.
The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said that Harris Wolobah died from eating a high quantity of chili pepper extract. His cause of death was determined to be a cardiopulmonary arrest, the New York Times reports. Even though he died after eating the Paqui One Chip Challenge, the examiner could not confirm for certain that the deadly amount of capsaicin he consumed came from the spicy chip.
The examiner said the high schooler had an enlarged heart and a congenital heart defect. His family was not aware that he had this condition before he died.
A popular TikTok challenge has resulted in tragedy for the family of a Massachusetts teen. Boston-based news station WCVB 5 reports that 14-year-old Harris Wolobah passed away last week just hours after taking part in the One Chip Challenge at school.
First launched by Paqui in 2016, the One Chip Challenge involves eating a single tortilla chip that contains Carolina Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper. The lone tortilla chip is housed in a coffin-shaped box that includes a lengthy warning message on the back.
Following the death, Paqui is pulling the One Chip Challenge product from stores, the New York Times reports. “The Paqui One Chip Challenge is intended for adults only, with clear and prominent labeling highlighting the chip is not for children” the brand wrote in a statement. “As a result, while the product continues to adhere to food safety standards, out of an abundance of caution, we are actively working with our retailers to remove the product from shelves."
A medical professional also revealed to WCVB 5 that excessive capsaicin, an ingredient found in the tortilla chip used in the challenge, can result in chest pain or heart palpitations. In this case, an autopsy is still pending.
"Sometimes we see people that will have a lot of chest pain or they'll experience things like palpitations as well. So a whole variety of issues that we're seeing with this One Chip Challenge," Dr. Lauren Rice explained.
In the days following the tragedy, a GoFundMe was created in Wolobah's honor, and is just shy of its goal of $30,000.
Additionally, the most recent Instagram post from the Paqui account, which dates back to March of this year, includes some comments demanding that the company be shut down.
"Teenager lost his life today in Boston. You should be shut down. Disgusting what you do for profit," read one comment.
"Total insanity that this company would be allowed to put out this product," said another user.
