Paqui, the Texas-based company that makes an extremely spicy tortilla chip, said it is taking steps to pull the product from store shelves. This comes as Massachusetts police probed the death of a teenager whose family blamed the viral TikTok "one chip Challenge" for the kid's demise.
Product Recall
Harris Wolobah, 14, died on September 1. Although an autopsy is still awaiting to establish the cause of death, his family has already placed the blame on the social media challenge.
According to ABC News, Paqui has urged multiple stores to stop stocking the individually packaged chips in the wake of Wolobah's death. 7-Eleven has complied with this request.
There will be a vigil for the teen on Friday night, September 8, at a park in Worcester, which is located in central Massachusetts.
The spicy chip may be purchased in a sealed foil packet within a cardboard box that looks like a coffin. Warnings on the packaging stress that the chip is designed for the "vengeful pleasure of intense heat and pain." It says that the snack is only for adults and should be stored safely away from children.
The Hershey Company's subsidiary Paqui expressed its condolences at Wolobah's passing in a statement published on its website on Thursday, September 7.
"We have seen an increase in teens and other individuals not heeding these warnings. As a result, while the product continues to adhere to food safety standards, out of abundance of caution, we are actively working with retailers to remove the product from shelves."
Authorities in Massachusetts have issued a similar warning to parents about the challenge, which has gone viral on platforms like TikTok.
We urge parents to discuss this with their children and advise them not to partake in this activity. The company warnings state the chips are intended for adult consumption. Other states across the country have seen hospitalizations due to the chip challenge, including teens.
— Joseph D. Early Jr. (@worcesterda) September 6, 2023
See Also: Massachusetts Teen Dies After Doing Viral TikTok' One Chip Challenge'
Implied Risk
Many individuals, including kids, have uploaded videos showing themselves opening the bag, eating the chips, and expressing their discomfort at the heat. The typical challenge is to go as long as possible without consuming anything that can cool them down, such as water, milk, or ice cream. Sneezing, gagging, and coughing are visible symptoms in some recordings.
According to a series of tweets by Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, parents should talk to their children about the challenge and tell them to stay away from it. "The company warnings state the chips are intended for adult consumption. Other states across the country have seen hospitalizations due to the chip challenge, including teens," he stated.
Participants in the challenge have been reported ill all throughout the nation, including three high school kids in California who were sent to the hospital. Last year, seven kids at a Minnesota school became sick after doing the challenge, prompting paramedics to be called.
The head of pediatric emergency medicine at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Dr. Lauren Rice, noted that this is a chance for parents, coaches, and teachers to learn about the various social media challenges that could pose dangers to the kids.
