Hot Chip Challenge: what are the health risks? – Featured

2023-04-21 14:40:45

21 avril 2023

This chip, reputed to be the most spicy in the world, is the subject of a challenge on social networks. The principle: film yourself eating it. But its effects, after consumption, can be dangerous for health. Explanations.

This is yet another challenge that has become very popular on the TikTok social network in a few months. This is the “Hot Chip Challenge” – “One Chip Challenge” across the Atlantic -, a challenge that consists of eating the chips reputed to be “the spiciest in the world”. The chips, unique in a coffin-shaped box, are also marketed under the name Hot Chip Challenge.

Available on the internet, the Paqui brand tortilla remains difficult to find on the shelves. An Auchan supermarket in a shopping center in Farébersviller (Moselle) put it on sale at the beginning of the month. On April 17, the supermarket indicated on Facebook the withdrawal of the sale of the product.

High capsaicin content

In question ? Capsaicin content, the active component of peppers, measured using the Scoville scale. Pure capsaicin reaches 15 million on the Scoville scale, which ranges from neutral to burning. The Carolina Reader pepper and the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion contained in the offending tortilla – for its 2022 version as recipes vary – can reach scores of 2.2 million and 2 million respectively. For comparison, the Espelette pepper is noted between 1,500 and 2,500 units, the Cayenne pepper between 30,000 and 50,000.

The last degree of the scale, burning, concerns peppers beyond 100,000 units. It therefore concerns the peppers used in the recipe for the Hot Chip Challenge.

On its website, Paqui encourages consumers to go as long as possible without drinking or eating anything after consuming its chips. Like bread crumbs to soothe the feeling, for example. The challenge therefore consists in filming oneself eating it and the time of the “explosive in the mouth” effect.

Sometimes severe symptoms

What health risks ? ” Although capsaicin is colorless and odorless, it is very pungent and irritating to the eyes, skin and mouth of humans and animals “, explains the National capital poison center (US National Poison Center) on its website. On the available TikTok videos, a teenager shows images of herself in the hospital after eating the chips. She wouldn’t be the only one in this case.

According to the US Poison Control Center, ” most people will develop immediate mouth and throat irritation after consuming capsaicin-containing products such as the chips included in the Paqui One Chip Challenge ».

Intestinal disorders, heart palpitations, damage to the esophagus

In some, these irritating but also painful symptoms can last several hours or even days. Symptoms can also be intestinal. The crisps are also marketed with a glove in order to avoid any contact with the eyes.

More seriously, capsaicin consumption can cause chest pain, heart palpitations, and heart attacks. In too large a quantity, the molecule can cause repeated vomiting which can lead to life-threatening esophageal damage “Warns the American body. In allergic people, capsaicin can induce respiratory symptoms, even anaphylactic shock.

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