Massachusetts’ chief medical examiner’s office has determined that a teenager died of a heart attack last September after consuming a tortilla chip containing a high concentration of a chemical compound found in chili peppers.
Harris Wolobah, who had a congenital heart defect, was participating in Paqui’s intensely spicy “One Chip Challenge,” which included the Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers.
Following Wolobah’s death, Paqui voluntarily recalled the product, packaged in a coffin-shaped box, from shelves.
The chief medical examiner’s office confirmed to CNN on Thursday that Wolobah died of cardiopulmonary arrest after consuming a food item “with (a) high capsaicin concentration,” the spicy chemical naturally occurring in chili peppers.
The Carolina Reaper Pepper ranks just below pepper spray on the Scoville scale, which measures the heat of peppers and chilies.
The Naga Viper is less potent but still around 1.2 million heat units, significantly spicier than a jalapeño pepper at about 5,000 heat units.
Paqui’s spokesperson told CNN on Thursday, “Paqui’s One Chip Challenge was intended for adults only, with clear and prominent labeling highlighting that the product was not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods or with underlying health conditions.”
“We observed increased reports of teenagers and others disregarding these warnings.
As a precautionary measure, while the product met food safety standards, we collaborated with retailers to voluntarily withdraw the product from shelves in September 2023,” the spokesperson added. “The One Chip Challenge has been discontinued.”
The company’s website states it will refund consumers for bags of the 2023 Paqui Carolina Reaper + Naga Viper Pepper One Chip Challenge that have not been consumed.
