A spicy chip challenge is landing people in the hospital and sweeping social media (2024)

Photograph: Paqui

PAQUI’S ONE CHIP CHALLENGE, promoted by tortilla chip company Paqui, is sweeping TikTok and is landing unwary participants in hospital. The challenge has been promoted on social media by Paqui and involves eating one spicy chip from a special packet labeled “One Chip Challenge.”

According to the challenge, each chip must be consumed in its entirety, and participants are instructed to wait as long as they can before eating or drinking anything that might mellow the intense flavor the chip also dyes the tongue blue, providing proof that it’s a real Paqui chip. The challenge is proving hugely popular on social media, especially TikTok. The chips can be purchased online in the UAE.

Just how spicy are these chips? The peppers used to create the One Chip Challenge chips include the Carolina Reaper and Scorpion varieties. These are some of the hottest peppers available on the American market. To put it into context, the hot sensation after eating a pepper is due to the capsaicin content of the pepper and is measured in Scoville heat units (SHUs). Pure capsaicin measures 15 million SHU, while bell peppers, that favorite of fajita lovers the world over, come in at 0 SHU, the Carolina Reaper pepper measures up to 2.2 million SHU, and some Scorpion peppers can contain more than 2 million SHU. These are incredibly spicy peppers, they’re pungent and they can irritate the mouth, eyes and skin.

This all sounds quite academic, but when you consider that capsaicin is an active ingredient in some pepper sprays and bear repellents, you’ll begin to realize how powerful it can be. Exposure to high levels of capsaicin can cause incredibly painful sensations and its application has been described as being more irritating than the famous mace spray. The side effects of the capsaicin can last several hours and, in extreme cases, several days. People consuming capsaicin can experience mouth irritation, pain, or burning, along with intestinal discomfort. It can also lead to chest pains, heart palpitations and, in extreme cases, even heart attacks. Eating large amounts can induce vomiting.

The health concerns are very real and school districts in the US, including Georgia and Colorado have issued warnings to parents after children missed school due to health issues after attempting the challenge. One media outlet in Texas, KBTX, even reported that a Texan student had experienced a seizure and lost consciousness in class. In the past, people have suffered severe health issues as a result of eating the same peppers used in the production of the chips, ranging from narrowing of the arteries in his brain (cerebral vasoconstriction) to heart attacks.

The question is, what do you do if you suffer from an adverse reaction to a chip? Doctors recommend drinking milk to ease the pain caused by the capsaicin. Because the chemical can also irritate the skin and eyes, people are advised to wash their hands thoroughly if they attempt the challenge, as the capsaicin can be transferred to other parts of the body. If the eyes are affected, doctors are recommending you to irrigate your eyes with room-temperature water for 15-20 minutes. In severe cases, it may be necessary to visit the hospital.

Or maybe save yourself and don’t eat this chip.