Not to channel my elderly millennial, but it seems like it was just yesterday when the Twitter bird chirped into our lives and Facebook required a college email address. And let's not even talk about the antiquity that is MySpace. (We still miss you, Tom.) Today, social media has become a titan of the times. It serves as a place to quickly share news, gab about the latest celebrity breakup, and find the latest and greatest food hacks. On TikTok, in particular, the food space has blown up, with creators like Keith Lee and Nara Smith becoming larger-than-life influencers.
But with this social media boom, there is a downside: dangerous food trends that can come with dark consequences. Whether you're a crafty creator or a scrolling savant, these are the dangerous food trends experts want you to avoid.
Food Challenges Turned Deadly
Tragically, there is a certain sector of TikTok that can be lethal: food challenges.
"Usually, the dangerous food trends are related to 'TikTok challenges' like the One Chip Challenge or the Benadryl Challenge," family physician Dr. Mike Sevilla of Salem Family Care shares with Delish. "For those not familiar, the One Chip Challenge had to do with a certain tortilla chip made from very hot peppers, and there was a death reported in 2023, and then the company pulled the product off store shelves."
Dr. Sevilla is referring to the so-called "Paqui's One Chip Challenge," which brought social media users face-to-face with a fiery tortilla chip made with Carolina Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper, some of the hottest peppers on the Scoville scale. The lone tortilla chip, housed in a coffin-shaped box, included this warning: "Do not eat if you are sensitive to spicy foods, allergic to peppers, nightshades, or capsaicin, or are pregnant or have any medical conditions."
In September 2023, Paqui announced that it was voluntarily removing the One Chip Challenge from store shelves following the death of Harris Wolobah. The 14-year-old student died hours after eating the chip. Months later, in May 2024, the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that the teen died from eating a high quantity of chili pepper extract.
The Paqui's One Chip Challenge is far from the only food challenge raising red flags due to the potential dangers. Among the questionable challenges that have surfaced in recent years include the Nutmeg Challenge (consuming large amounts of nutmeg to produce a high) and the Chugging Sprite Challenge (downing an entire bottle of Sprite without burping).
Dry Scooping's Dangerous Dilemma
For registered dietitian and owner of Wellness From Within, Diana Fransis, TikTok trends that promote extreme or unsafe eating behaviors have become particularly concerning. One of those frightening trends is dry scooping, a technique that involves consuming a pre-workout powder without adding it to a liquid. In one video on TikTok, two women can be seen struggling to swallow a pre-workout powder after consuming it dry.
Another registered dietitian, Lauren Manaker, explains that dry scooping can cause choking hazards, severe heart issues, and gastrointestinal distress "due to the concentrated ingredients."
"The 'dry scooping' challenge, eating excessive amounts of one food, like the cottage cheese or lettuce-only diet trends, and consuming raw or undercooked foods that could lead to foodborne illness are all alarming," Fransis says.
She also warns that not only are these food challenges harmful physically, but they can also take a toll on one's mental health. "I have worked with many adolescents and adults recovering from eating disorders that were triggered or worsened by what they saw on social media," she says.
The Chaos That Is Cooking & Eating In Your Car
From cooking a crunchwrap in a Tesla to making a seafood boil from the backseat, there has been a shocking increase in TikTok trends that involve cooking in your vehicle. This type of TikTok food trend poses a number of obvious dangers: burns from potential spills, accidental cuts from slicing veggies on your lap, and explosions from gas canisters. There are also hidden dangers as well, including the exposure to germs when you're cutting and cooking raw meats in your car. For some people, cooking in their cars and eating while on the road is a necessity. And if you must, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides some helpful information on eating and drinking while traveling.
In addition to the dangers of cooking in your car, eating in your vehicle can be just as harmful. Recently, social media has popularized the trend of filming mukbangs (videos of a person trying a large amount of food) while sitting inside a parked car, but it turns out that the trend can be a hazard. In an interview with Indy100 at the top of this year, Keith Hawes, Director at Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, spoke on the importance of maintaining a hygienic space in your vehicle.
"Ensuring your vehicle is kept in a hygienic condition is essential to prevent mold build up in your car, as well as preventing illnesses. Maintaining regular car cleaning is vital, especially after eating. You should always adequately dispose of any rubbish after eating in your car, using a portable vacuum cleaner, antimicrobial wipes, and odor-neutralizing sprays can help drivers maintain a clean and safe driving environment," Hawes says.
In addition to car mukbangs, trends like car tiramisu, which involves making tiramisu in the middle console and eating the dessert directly out of it, also pose a risk to the hygienic condition of one's car—actually eating the dessert out of a dirty console is also (definitely) not advisable.
Playing With Fire To Make A Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Who doesn't love a melty grilled cheese sandwich every now and then? It's the ultimate comfort food. And if you're looking for "the quickest and easiest way" to make the cheesy sandwich, one TikTok creator has this fiery advice: cook it in the toaster. The TikToker in the now-viral video uses a Revolution Toastie Press (a mobile panini press), but other people are putting their grilled cheese sandwiches directly in a regular toaster. Want to know just how dangerous this can get? Years ago, CNN profiled a woman whose toaster turned into an absolute inferno after she attempted to make a grilled cheese.
"Nyquil Chicken" Receives The Attention Of The FDA
There's one specific TikTok food trend so grim that even the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) had to step in to warn of the potential dangers.
"One alarming TikTok food trend is the so-called 'Nyquil chicken,' where individuals cook chicken in Nyquil, a popular over-the-counter cold medicine," Manaker says. "This practice is dangerous because we don't need to be eating Nyquil during the day if there is no medical indication to do so."
In an FDA article titled "A Recipe for Danger: Social Media Challenges Involving Medicine," the organization emphasized that even if you don't eat the chicken cooked in Nyquil, the medication's vapors alone are enough to give someone inhaling it "a dangerously high amount of the cough and cold medicine."
"The challenge sounds silly and unappetizing—and it is. But it could also be very unsafe. Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways," the FDA points out.
Keeping Social Media A Safe Space
In first grade, I distinctly remember our class being told to put on our "thinking caps" before answering a question. And honestly, social media likely needs that same advice. For both creators and followers, it's vital to remain vigilant about keeping our wits when using apps like TikTok.
"TikTok creators should focus on following trustworthy experts with solid backgrounds in nutrition, health, or food science. Take time to check the credentials of anyone giving advice to make sure they hold proper qualifications, like being a registered dietitian. It’s also important to watch out for potential biases, especially if someone is promoting products that they might benefit from financially and may be motivated to promote something potentially harmful for financial gain," Manaker says.
Let's all make Tom proud by keeping TikTok and the rest of social media a safe space to connect, collaborate, and just flat-out have fun.
