Spicy chip challenge leads Georgia middle school to call Poison Control, principal says
A spicy chip challenge led a middle school to call Poison Control, a Georgia principal said.
Officials at Northwestern Middle School said they took the step as students were treated at the school’s clinic for “adverse reactions” to the chips. It reportedly happened at the Atlanta-area campus on Wednesday, Nov. 10.
In a letter to parents, school principal Joel Peterson said the children had been participating in the One Chip Challenge from snack maker Paqui. The company said the challenge comes with a disclaimer and that participants who have “severe reactions or symptoms” are urged to contact medical professionals.
“We take matters of safety very seriously and have worked hard to ensure our products are properly labeled with allergen and safety information,” Paqui told McClatchy News in an emailed statement. “The Paqui #OneChipChallenge is notoriously hot, as our branding implies, and the product should be handled with extreme care.”
On an online page for the 2021 challenge, videos show people daring to eat a single spicy chip that Paqui says “will destroy you.” The tortilla chips are made with “two totally terrifying peppers: the infamous Carolina Reaper and the stinging Scorpion Pepper,” according to the company’s website.
But the challenge also comes with warnings — including to keep the chips away from kids.
“Do not eat if you are sensitive to spicy foods, allergic to peppers, nightshades or capsacin or are pregnant or have any medical conditions,” an Amazon product description said. “Keep out of reach of children. After touching the chip, wash your hands with soap and do not touch your eyes or other sensitive areas. Seek medical assistance should you experience difficulty breathing, fainting or extended nausea.”
After students tried the challenge, Northwestern Middle School officials said they contacted families of affected children and urged parents to leave the spicy chips at home.
“You can help us protect your student(s) by requesting that they not eat anything given to them by another person and anything that they have not brought from your home,” the principal said in his letter. “In addition, please ensure your student does not bring these chips or other similar items to school.”
It’s not the first time school officials have warned about the risks of a spicy food challenge.
In Massachusetts, the Paqui challenge left one student throwing up and five others with upset stomachs at O’Maley Innovation Middle School, the Gloucester Daily Times reported in September.
Earlier this year, a Tyler Independent School District in Texas said a child was sent to the hospital “due to a severe reaction after attempting the One Chip Challenge.”
“Many challenges, like the Tide Pod challenge, Benadryl challenge, choking game, or the latest One Chip Challenge, can cause serious bodily injury and/or poisoning, and some can even be fatal,” Rachel Barber, the district’s director of health services, said in an April news release. “Serious complications such as damaged airways, seizures, and coma have been linked to many of these challenges. Students need to be mindful that while they may get ‘likes’ or comments on social media, it could also leave them with life-long health complications.”
While some spicy foods have health benefits, eating them can make the brain receive “‘pain’ signals that can result in an upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting,” Health.com reported at the time of a hot pepper challenge in 2018.
This story was originally published November 12, 2021 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Spicy chip challenge leads Georgia middle school to call Poison Control, principal says."
